Japan’s defence minister has rejected suggestions that his country was reviving its militaristic past, telling a regional security conference that changes to its defence strategy would allow it to play a new cooperative role.

Shinjiro Koizumi also used his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday to state that Tokyo opposed “unilateral changes to the status quo by force or coercion”, a comment believed to refer to Beijing’s maritime activities, including in the East and South China Seas, and possible military action to reunite Taiwan with mainland China.

“Every country must be able to choose its future by its own will. And this region must remain open to all countries that respect our shared rules and principles,” Koizumi said.

He did not specify which country the comments were aimed at, but tensions between China and Japan have been particularly high since late last year.

In November, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested in comments to parliament that a conflict in the Taiwan Strait could constitute a “survival-threatening” situation – sufficient grounds for Japanese military intervention.

Takaichi’s administration is also pushing for revisions to the country’s policy framework to allow for a more proactive military posture, a shift condemned by China as a revival of the militaristic ideology that drove Japanese aggression during World War II.