BEIJING -- China expresses serious concerns over Japan's deployment of long-range missiles in Kumamoto and Shizuoka prefectures, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Wednesday.

According to reports, long-range missiles with counterstrike capabilities have been brought into service for the first time at two Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) bases in Japan.

"Japan, under the pretext of defense and counter-strike, is deploying offensive weapons, going far beyond the scope of 'self-defense' and its exclusively defense-oriented policy," Mao told a regular press briefing, adding that Japanese "new militarism" is threatening regional peace and stability, and the international community should be highly vigilant against it.

Japan's action severely violates the provisions of international law instruments such as the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, and it also goes against the Japanese constitution and existing domestic norms, Mao said.

This once again reflects that Japan's right-wing forces are driving the country's security policy toward an offensive and expansionist direction, she pointed out.

"I have also noticed that many Japanese groups and individuals have voiced opposition publicly," Mao said.

Recently, an officer of Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) illegally broke into the Chinese embassy in Japan with a knife, Mao noted, adding that instead of reflecting on the SDF's mismanagement and loss of control, Japan continues to focus on fomenting external threats and accelerating military buildup. "This trend is highly perilous."

"We sternly urge Japan to deeply reflect on its history of militarist aggression, honor its commitments in the military and security domains, and act with prudence," the spokesperson said.