BEIJING, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Japan has been strengthening the deployment of offensive weapons and equipment including missiles in regions close to China under the cover of so-called defense and counterstrike, which is essentially an attempt to build a forward fortress of military confrontation and threatens regional peace and stability, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Wednesday.

Spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks at a press briefing, in response to a query about reports that in a meeting on Monday with Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, mayor of Yonaguni town, Okinawa Prefecture, expressed the approval on the deployment of air defense missile units in Yonaguni.

China is gravely concerned, Guo said. Japan's right-wing forces are pushing for a more offensive, expansionist and dangerous defense policy, which goes far beyond the scope of self-defense and Japan's "exclusively defense-oriented" policy and makes Japan's self-claimed image as a country for peace nothing but an irony, the spokesperson said.

It is observed that local residents, haunted by bitter historical memories, widely fear being dragged into conflicts, falling victim to wars and becoming cannon fodder, Guo said, adding that strong opposition has also emerged across the Japanese society.

The war of aggression launched by Japanese militarists brought catastrophe to the Japanese people as well as the rest of the world, he said, adding that defying public opinion and seeking military expansion will only repeat history.

"We urge the Japanese side to do serious soul-searching on its history of military aggression, honor its commitments and exercise prudence on its words and actions in military and security fields. International community must be highly vigilant and firmly stop Japan's fast-growing remilitarization and neo-militarism," the spokesperson stressed. ■