China anxious at Japanese troop buildup

China said Monday it was concerned about Japan’s intention to increase its military forces amid a continuing territorial spat over islands in the East China Sea, Reuters reported. Itsunori Onodera, Japan’s defence minister, said Sunday that the country would increase its number of military personnel by 287 from 225,000 beginning in April. The measure marks the largest increase in 20 years. “We hope that Japan pursues a path of peaceful development, respects the concerns of countries in the region, takes history as a mirror and does more to benefit regional peace and stability,” said Hong Lei, the Chinese Foreign Ministry representative.