Japan's annual defence report has strengthened criticism of Chinese land reclamation and offshore platforms in disputed seas.
The white paper was approved by PM Shinzo Abe on Tuesday after the first draft was rejected by his party for not taking a strong enough line on China.
It comes after the lower house approved changes to the national security law.
Those changes would allow Japanese troops to fight overseas for the first time since World War Two.
They are expected to be approved by the upper house.
China reacted strongly to the passing of the bills through the lower house, urging Japan to "stick to the path of peaceful development" and avoid harming the region's stability.