Special advisor to the Prime Minister Etsuro Honda underscored the military importance of Japan's economic resurgence in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.

In the interview, published on February 19, with Honda says, “Beyond the imperative to raise wages and improve livelihoods, Japan needs a strong economy so that it can build a more powerful military and stand up to China. We feel a serious threat.”

In a later press conference, Honda claimed he had been misrepresented, calling the article “unbalanced” and demanding a revision.

He intended to explain that Japan needs to establish a strong economic foundation to maintain the power balance in East Asia.

Honda emphasized that the purpose of "Abenomics," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's aggressive fiscal and monetary stimulus program, is to create peaceful and stable lives for Japanese citizens.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga insisted that the purpose of Abenomics was never military in nature.

In the same article, Honda also comments on Abe’s controversial visit last month to Yasukuni Shrine, where 14 Class-A war criminals are enshrined.

Bringing up the Kamikaze pilots also enshrined there, he said, ”Japan's peace and prosperity has depended on their sacrifices, that's why Mr. Abe had to go to Yasukuni."

The visit sparked outrage from China and Korea and drew criticism from the United States.