The international community must show high vigilance and resolute opposition to a senior Japanese official's remarks that Japan should possess nuclear weapons, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday.

A senior official in charge of security and defense at the Japanese Prime Minister's Office told reporters that Japan should have nuclear weapons. Japanese Defense Minister later said that they left open the possibility of Japan reviewing its non-nuclear principles in the future. These remarks were met with strong criticism from various sectors in Japan and its neighboring countries.