"Official Japanese documents openly play up the so-called 'China threat', which is completely baseless and irresponsible," foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said in a statement posted on the ministry's website.

"China expresses strong dissatisfaction with this, and hopes Japan will do more to improve mutual trust and the healthy and stable development of bilateral ties," she said.

Japan earlier Friday issued new defense guidelines, updated for the first time in nine years, including remarks that appeared to reflect jitters in Tokyo over China's growing military muscle.

"China, which has a great impact on security in this region, is pushing ahead with enhancing its nuclear and missile capabilities in modernizing its navy and air force while expanding marine activities," the guidelines said. "We need to continue to watch these moves in the future."

Zhang said China would pay close attention to "Japan's large-scale adjustment of its military and security strategy and the impact that it may have.

"Because of historical reasons, the direction of Japanese military and security issues is an extremely sensitive matter," she said, refering to the brutal Japanese occupation of China before and during World War II.

"Hopefully, Japan will take into consideration the concern of all its Asian neighbors, continue to walk the road of peace and development and behave prudently in order to preserve peace and stability in this region."