Japan begins to tighten national security

(Vatican Radio) Meeting in Singapore, a number of national defence and diplomatic chiefs have reaffirmed their nations' opposition to North Korea's recent military moves. Separately, Japan's defence minister told an audience critics are wrong to accuse Tokyo of undergoing a shift to the right, one recalling its wartime past.

Japan's defence minister said efforts to tighten Japan's national security and even to consider rewriting its pacificst constitution are timely moves and no evidence of a shift to the right.

Itsunori Onodera was speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual defence and diplomacy forum in Singapore.

China has accused Japan's new government of taking steps that could lead it back to its aggressive, imperialist past.

Speaking on Saturday, Tokyo's defence minister acknowledged that Japan has -- in the past -- caused what he called "damage and suffering", but he said it needs now to make policy adjustments to contribute better to stability in this part of Asia. He said Japan welcomes the United States commitment to focus more of its diplomatic and military attention on Asia.

Separately, the meeting saw European Union foreign policy chief urge nations to maintain a united front on North Korea. In one of the most direct accusations yet by Washington against Beijing, the U.S. defence secretary Chuck Hagel said China's government and military appear to be behind some recent computer attacks on U.S. targets.

Listen to Alastair Wanklyn’s full report: