Japan 'should develop nuclear weapons to defend itself'

Telegraph (UK) ^ | 3:54PM GMT 04 Feb 2011 | Julian Ryall

[Pan_Yan]

Shintaro Ishihara, 78, a former actor and author who has been governor of Tokyo since 1999 and has frequently provoked anger among Japan's neighbours, made his latest demand after a diplomatic row sparked by the arrest of a Chinese fishing vessel captain operating in Japanese waters.

"If Japan had had nuclear (weapons), there would not have been any (Chinese encroachment) on the Senkakus," he said. "And North Korea would not have abducted our citizens."

Mr Ishihara is chairman of a group of prefectural governors who have been demanding progress on the issue of Japanese nationals seized by North Korean agents in the 1970s and '80s.

In early 2009, he criticised the outgoing administration of President George W. Bush for not doing enough to support Japan's demand for their release.

Washington has "not displayed great interest in the matter," he said.

[Pan_Yan]

As we grow weaker our allies have to look for other options to defend themselves.

[Diogenesis]

One wonders how may ways pRes_ _ent Obama plans to stab
the Japanese in the back — as they join every other
US ally and US friend under the DNC-Obama-Russian-Ikhwan “bus”.

[McCloud-Strife]

Fear not, should Japan decide to build nukes, you can count on the surrent administration letting her enemies know exactly where they are, how big, and how many there are, in the interests of peace.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

My bet is SONY already has one.

[dagogo redux]

I’ve heard a seemingly well-informed source say that it would take the Nihon-jin all of about a month to nuke up if they needed to. Anyone know if this is accurate or not?

[jmacusa]

I don’t know about a Japan with nukes. While I don’t think there is a chance of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere making a return, there’s a more than subtle nationalist trend among younger Japanese politicians and as of late there’s a kind of disturbing trend among Japanese to feel WW2 in Asia wasn’t their fault. Wether having nukes would embolden them to start another Asian war is probably far-fetched, I’m not sure nukes are a good idea for Japan. Of course they might want to consider making nice with Godzilla and see if they can persuade him to stop stomping Tokyo and act like Big Brother Protector.

[mamelukesabre]

Yo japan...

Nukes by themselves are useless. Build your navy, airforce, missile defense, and satellite communications first. You’re gonna need espionage and cyber warfare capabilities too.

[Squawk 8888]

I think there are many countries that could produce a nuke PDQ if they wanted- Canada, Germany, Japan and South Korea come to mind.

[buccaneer81]

As far back as 25 years ago, I remember reading reports from those who would know, that while technically not having nukes, if the situation looked bad enough, countries such as Japan, Australia, Canada, South Korea and Brazil could put all the pieces together and have small arsenals (5-20 weapons) ready in two weeks.

[Squawk 8888]

Australia certainly could- IIRC they did have a weapons program but nixed it. As for Canada, our technology was used to produce weapons for India so I’m sure we could make a few for ourselves.

[Levante]

I certainly hope Australia develops nukes. SCREW OBLAMA.

[buccaneer81]

I believe the CANDU reactor design is quite easily adaptable to be “near-breeder” reactors producing plutonium.

[Flavius]

You’ll poke your eye out kid

[Tzimisce]

Yeah, getting nukes would probably be a good idea since Obama is probably selling them to the Red Chinese (see what Obama did to the Brits if you think otherwise...)

[Praxeologue]

Nukes by themselves are useless. Build your navy, airforce, missile defense, and satellite communications first. You’re gonna need espionage and cyber warfare capabilities too.

Perhaps the most effective investment for Japan would be a few Tridents.

[patriot preacher]

Agreed — we should have been out of Japan a generation ago. They should develop their own conventional AND Nuclear forces. They would be the best counterbalance to the ChiComs in East Asia, and we would save a HECK of a lot of $$ on military deployments to BOTH Japan AND South Korea, who are capable of self defense as well. Perhaps they should have nukes to counterbalance the Norkies as well.

Heck, while we’re at it, we could begin the process of transitioning to Independence, depending on circumstances and the will of the people of Guam and the USA.

[Vendome]

The Armistice agreement and USMJC forbid it as well the consitution of Japan.

“Red Rider, that is a no go, the pattern is full”.

[Vendome]

Wow!

The never heard of China, The Philippines or Pear Harbor?

[jmacusa]

Don’t quite understand what you mean. ‘’The’’? Do you mean ‘’they’’ as in Japans younger generation? The answer would be no. Not in the context you and I would understand. No. Japans younger generation is largely ignorant of what their nation did 70 years ago. Very ignorant of it and the Japanese themselves as a whole aren’t in any hurry to educate them about it either.

[magslinger]

I agree with you. I was stationed in Japan for three years in the late 1970s. The younger Japanese believe that Japan was not responsible for WWII because that is what they were taught in school. Certainly most of them don't believe that many million Japanese lives were saved when Harry S dropped the bombs. Japanese war crimes such as genocide, Korean "comfort women", medical and BW "research" carried out by their army are not mentioned in polite company.

I spent quite a bit of time discussing this with "impolite company," a Japanese man who remembered the war because he was twelve when it ended. His battle station was as an antitank weapon. He credited President Truman with saving his life as much as my father credited Harry with saving his.

Would Japan with nuclear weapons try to recreate the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere? Perhaps not, but if they didn't, it wouldn't be because of anything they should have learned in the 1940s, because none of that is being passed down.