Slashdot Mirror
Japan's Military 'Needs Marines and Drones'
arisvega writes "The State of Japan is apparently seeking 'Deter and Respond' military capabilities, perhaps as an artifact from being 'embroiled in a bitter row over islands with China' and being 'deeply concerned by North Korea's nuclear ambitions,' as reported by the BBC. Since the end of WW II, under Article 9 of its post-war constitution, Japan is blocked from the use of force to resolve conflicts except in the case of self-defence. Now, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is looking to expand the scope of Japanese military activities — potentially a highly controversial move that would anger its neighbours. The post-war constitution was of course put in place by the then victorious west, who would now have an interest to fully back up this move: though Japanese officials claim that any new upgrades will not be used for preemptive strikes, the result will be arms and battalions installed close to The People's Republic of China, The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and The Russian Federation. It will be interesting to track how this plays out."
The USA is in South Korea for one reason, and one reason only- to prevent North and South Korea reuniting, just as East and West Germany did a little while back.
Although most people have the memory of a goldfish, try to think back. EVERY pundit in the West told the sheeple the re-unification between the two Germanys was impossible, and even if it did become possible, it would take DECADES. When the USSR withdrew from East Germany, reunification happened virtually overnight. Many of Germany's current leaders are from the East. Many are of East-German secret service background.
If America left South Korea, North and South would reunify just as quickly, under the capitalist system of the South. Korea would become the OTHER power-house, and Japan's time would be over. Worse for Japan would be the desire to see Japan punished for war crimes that occurred during WW2- crimes that the Americans ensured went unpunished after the war ended.
Japan has always been the vile murderous bully of the region. It has no chance of regaining this status. As an economic powerhouse, Japan is in terminal decline. Japan is now preparing for a future where it will go to war again purely to keep its second place status next to China. America has ensured Japan is a major nuclear power, and by this I mean MILITARY nuclear power. The nuclear power stations America ensured Japan built are designed to produce the nuclear material for warheads.
Japan is looking to emulate Israel, another murderous racist state that exists by periodically attacking any neighbour that dares to build itself up economically or militarily. Japan is planning for an 'Israel' flavoured action where it would engage in a short war against a united Korea, putting back Korea's progress by a decade or two. Japan's population is as nationalistic and racist as it was in the years before WW2, so getting support for such a war would be child's play.
In this scenario, Japan expects the major powers to either be on its side, or neutral. In this thinking, Japan is literally insane. Rather than building up its armed forces, Japan should be reducing them, and doing everything to earn the forgiveness and friendship of its neighbours. A militaristic Japan reminds EVERY neighbour of Japan just how evil this nation has been in the past, and how little it seems to want to change in the present.
This part of the world has a LOT of unfinished business. If Japanese leaders had even one brain cell, they'd understand that every major Asian neighbour has an incentive to see Japan invaded and put down as a regional threat once and for all. For Japan, China and Korea, WW2 didn't end, but was just put on hold.