China Daily Published Article on Japan Defense Spending After Author Declined Request

An editor from China Daily contacted an opinion writer affiliated with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and asked whether the writer would contribute an opinion piece. The writer declined the request, citing concerns about contributing to a state-run publication.

China Daily subsequently published an article that presented the writer's comments on Japan's defense spending increases in a different manner than originally stated.

The article carried a headline stating that Japan was using defense industry revitalization as a cover for remilitarization. The publication also included commentary attributed to Hirohito Ogi of Japan's Institute of Geoeconomics. The writer stated that the published material altered the original analysis of Japan's defense policy and regional security conditions.

A cartoon accompanying the article depicted Japan as an octopus involved in arms sales.