"China is intensifying its attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion in the East China Sea and the South China Sea, while also expanding and stepping up its military activities in the areas surrounding our country," Takaichi told parliament following her election landslide on February 8.

"It is a consistent policy of the Takaichi Cabinet to comprehensively advance a 'Mutually Beneficial Relationship Based on Common Strategic Interests' with China and to build a constructive and stable relationship.

"Precisely because China is an important neighbour and there are various pending issues and challenges, we will continue our communication and respond calmly and appropriately from the standpoint of our national interest," she said.

China is beefing up its military and is engaged in a number of territorial disputes with other countries in the region, including Japan over the Senkaku Islands, known as the Diaoyu in China.

Takaichi, seen as a China hawk before becoming premier in October, suggested in November that Japan could intervene militarily if Beijing sought to take Taiwan by force.

China, which regards the democratic island as part of its territory and has not ruled out force to annex it, was furious.

It summoned Tokyo's ambassador and warned Chinese citizens against visiting Japan. The number of tourists from mainland China plunged 60.7 percent last month.

In December, J-15 jets from China's Liaoning aircraft carrier twice locked radar on Japanese aircraft in international waters near Okinawa, according to Japan.

Beijing's top diplomat Wang Yi told the Munich Security Conference last weekend Saturday that forces in Japan were seeking to "revive militarism".

"Japan's efforts to strengthen its defence capabilities are in response to an increasingly severe security environment and are not directed against any specific third country," Japan responded.

It said there were "countries in the international community that have been rapidly increasing their military capabilities in a non-transparent manner" but added that "Japan opposes such moves and distances itself from them".