News Japan changing agenda

yakherder

yakherder

老外
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Reaction score
1,018
Age
45
Location
Ottawa / Vermont
Those who have been paying attention might have noticed Japan making a significant shift in its military agenda over the past decade or so. Not long ago, it was, in accordance with treaties signed at the end of WWII, allowed to maintain a small force for defensive purposes only. Relatively recently, highlighted by moves like the reintroduction of aircraft carriers to its force, it has recognized the need to take a more active role in global affairs and is aiming to transition its force into being capable of going on the offensive.

I was reading a little blurb called "The Six Most Volatile Countries in the World". Most of it is nothing groundbreaking, but I was surprised to see Japan on the list. Though I don't necessarily agree, at least when judging by my own criteria in regards to what constitutes a volatile country, it still lead me to do some research nonetheless.

Anyway, worth paying attention to.

Shangri-La dialogue: Japam PM Abe urges security role
 
I think I'd focus on the horrible state of Japan's economy if I was their government. Abenomics has been a failure. Abe may be one of the 5 worst leaders in the world right now.
 
No big surprise. Japan's defense strategy was the US. But with the US's changing military role in the world, it makes a lot of sense for Japan to be able to project its own power and to create a credible defense and offense.
 
And North and South Korea, who place a large part of the blame for their division on Japanese occupation. China isn't going to forget the Nanjing Massacre/Rape of Nanking anytime this century. Pretty much all of Asia, for that matter, holds a grudge against Japan from WW2. If the US is no longer capable of effectively looking out for Japan's military interests, they've got big problems.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ledboots
yakherder said:
And North and South Korea, who place a large part of the blame for their division on Japanese occupation. China isn't going to forget the Nanjing Massacre/Rape of Nanking anytime this century. Pretty much all of Asia, for that matter, holds a grudge against Japan from WW2. If the US is no longer capable of effectively looking out for Japan's military interests, they've got big problems.
Click to expand...
Japan was actually an isolationist country until the US Government and Matthew Perry decided to change that. The United States has caused misery to many different Asian countries at some point. Vietnam, Korea, Laos, Cambodia, Japan, Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan is just a small list. If Asians are going to hold grudges against a country for their past actions, it's not Japan they should be worried about.
 
Japan was isolationist because it had no other realistic options at the time. It tried to become an imperialistic power pretty much the second it had the potential to do so. I do not criticise it for this, all the cool countries do it. I'm merely reflecting on the fact that the less strategic, more emotion prone citizens of countries tend to hold grudges rather than recognizing it for the chess game it is.

We're always going to be fighting over land and resources. Best case scenario, we only fight with other soldiers and try not to murder/rape millions of non combatants in the process.

That is my unpopular opinion, anyway.
 
rainforests1 said:
Japan was actually an isolationist country until the US Government and Matthew Perry decided to change that. The United States has caused misery to many different Asian countries at some point. Vietnam, Korea, Laos, Cambodia, Japan, Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan is just a small list. If Asians are going to hold grudges against a country for their past actions, it's not Japan they should be worried about.
Click to expand...

Do we really need to simplify geopolitics to "well this country hates that country because of X event in the past, and that's why..."?

Lets look at this pesky present with Japan's neighbors:

1. Russia: Has a nasty habit of destabilizing its neighbors in the near abroad for its own gains.
2. North Korea: Bats**t crazy. Has a good chance of starting a major war due to the crazy.
3. People's Republic of China: Unresolved border disputes & territorial claims. Major point of conflict is the Republic of China, and the PRC has used military intimidation to attempt to influence Taiwanese politics.

There's three very countries whose actions may cause a war.
 
Top Bottom
Back