Japan Flexes Its Muscles, Thinking The Unthinkable

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 8-9-2003 | Colin Joyce

[blam]

Japan flexes its muscles, thinking the unthinkable

By Colin Joyce in Tokyo
(Filed: 09/08/2003)

Japan is moving away from decades of pacifism to strengthen its armed forces with an elite commando unit, aircraft carriers and spy satellites.

The wide-ranging rethink has been spurred by a series of declarations from its Stalinist neighbour, North Korea, which has made plain its determination to acquire nuclear weapons and the missiles to deliver them.

The escalating crisis has already caused Japan to promise pre-emptive air raids if it feels threatened, and analysts have begun publicly to discuss the ultimate taboo, the acquisition of atomic weapons.

An elite commando unit of 5,000 to 6,000 soldiers will be formed within three years, according to reports this week confirmed in off-the-record briefings by the Defence Agency.

About 300 troops could start special training this year to fight urban and guerrilla warfare and to counter terrorist and chemical weapons attacks.

Japan launched its first spy satellites in March as part of a programme designed to keep a closer watch on North Korea.

Japan's navy also plans to build two ships that could rapidly be converted to aircraft carriers. This would for the first time give Japanese combat aircraft the ability to launch pre-emptive strikes, rather than merely defend their country's airspace. Japan's post-war constitution specifically renounces the right to maintain armed forces or to use arms to settle international disputes.

The formation of the Self Defence Forces, now 240,000 strong, clearly breached the letter of the constitution although the principle was respected in that the SDF was genuinely designed only to defend Japan's territory.

Only after laborious debate in parliament was the SDF first authorised to participate in overseas peacekeeping operations in Cambodia in 1992, to provide logistical support to its allies during the war in Afghanistan in 2001 and to help in the reconstruction of post-war Iraq.

But the outlook began to change earlier this year, when Shigeru Ishiba, the defence minister, argued that Japan had the right to carry out pre-emptive strikes if it was clear that the country was about to be struck by a missile.

Many Japanese have bitter memories of the devastation that the Second World War brought to their country and remain committed to pacifism. A growing number, however, now accept that it may be necessary for Japan to expand its definition of what constitutes defence.

The Japanese public, which this month is commemorating the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, remains far from approving any steps towards building a nuclear deterrent.

However, the growing regional tension has eroded the long taboo on the very suggestion of a nuclear Japan.

Shingo Nishimura was forced to resign as vice-minister for defence in 1999 for suggesting that Japan considered acquiring nuclear arms. Now a backbencher, he has become a regular guest on Japanese television to argue the case for nuclear weapons.

Senior Japanese politicians, including Yasuo Fukuda, the chief cabinet secretary, have also made comments that signal a willingness to at least consider the option of Japan going nuclear.

Japan is shifting towards a more sophisticated military partly because of the falling number of recruits.

With the prospect of more dangerous missions such as that to Iraq and the fear of war with North Korea, fewer young Japanese see the SDF as an attractive option.

[Cobra64]

After WWII, Ididn't think the Japs were/are allowed to do this.

[Libertina]

Japan taking care of some of their own defense BUMP

[lentulusgracchus]

The Japanese are being impelled by the Koreans to rethink their self-defense force's composition and mission, and even their constitutional commitment to pacifism. If that goes, their alignment with the U.S. is suddenly on the table, and white heads with long memories of places like Wewak and Saipan will suddenly remember the shadow of the Imperial Navy.

Another uncontemplated consequence of The Rapist's feckless foreign policies -- got trouble? Just kick the can on down the road for your successor to handle. Stay focused, boy! It's the economy, stupid!

[squidly]

Japan is ready to re-arm, and it's in our best interest that they do.

[El Conservador]

Banzai!!! bump

[Bombard]

Red China has let this North Korea thing go to far. Japan is going to rearm and the PRC has gotten more than it planned on. A rearmed Japan is Bejing's worst nighmare.

[blam]

"Japan is ready to re-arm, and it's in our best interest that they do."

I wonder what kind of alliances the Japanese have with Taiwan (hee, hee).

Red China would be very wise to clip North Korea's wings, pronto.

[TnGOP]

I agree. Nothing scares the Chinese like the idea of Japan armed to the teeth. They are well known as fierce fighters, and have taken care of the Chinese on more than a few occasions.

An armed Japan dramatically changes the balance of power in the region, and by proxy boosts the influence and power of the United States.

[skeeter]

A round of banzais for Dai Nihon.

Good to have 'em on our side this time.

[Billthedrill]

This would for the first time give Japanese combat aircraft the ability to launch pre-emptive strikes, rather than merely defend their country's airspace.

Well, it's around a 1600 mile round trip from Tokyo to Pyongyang, well within the 4000 mile range of the F-15s in the JASDF inventory. They've had these since the 1980s.

Fortunately, the Japanese have never launched a pre-emptive air strike on a potential enemy.

Uh...oh...yeah...well, just the one...

[jimkress]

Many Japanese have bitter memories of the devastation that the Second World War brought to their country

Not that many. Most of the WWII generation is dead.

The world can only blame N. Korea and China for the remilitarization of Japan. As a soverign nation, Japan has the right (and the obligation) to protect its citizens and its territory. Clearly, the N. Koreans and the Chinese present a clear and present threat to both.

[Ronin]

While North Korea is the threat in the near term, Japan’s rearmament strategy is focused squarely on China in the long term, and thus it is certain, in my view, that nuclear weapons are going to be a part of the mixture eventually.

It may be difficult to convince the Japanese general public that the country needs nuclear weapons, but the SDF is more realistic and has long been looking over their options in that regard.

They can do it, and do it quickly if the need arises. They have the technology, they have the plutonium, and I would not be surprised to learn that they have fabricated a few components here and there.

Anyone who can read a map and plot the actions of the PRC military since WWII can see they are bent on Asian hegemony. They want to kick us out of the South Pacific and preferably back to Hawaii if they can. Another President like Clinton and they might succeed. Japan knows that and cannot risk putting all their eggs in our basket anymore.

[wingnuts'nbolts]

The world has changed. Japan no longer has an Emperor God. They too have the right to defend themselves against thatdespot in N. Korea, or any other that comes along. Japan is a formidable Nation. They are no longer our enemies, nor should we trust any foreign nation completely. Let common sense rule.

[Citizen Tom Paine]

This result, the rearming of Japan, is perhaps The First Pervert's most lasting contribution. In addition to permitting the North Korean situation to get out of hand, he also gave the ChiComs the technology to build ICBMs and satellites. My grandchildren will have to live with the results of this fool's actions. And it is not over yet, the Great She may drag him back into a position of power and influence.

A rearmed Japan will ultimately want to control the Pacific.

[Centurion2000]

Many Japanese have bitter memories of the devastation that the Second World War brought to their country and remain committed to pacifism.

Not the ones I've met. They all seem to have a HUGE fascination with going to the gun range, renting the machineguns and blazing away. They seem love Americans and The US as well. The smart ones realize what an invasion and occupation of their country by the Russians and US with no nukes would have done.

[x1stcav]

I can hear Shina no Yoyu amd Sakura now.

[x1stcav]

We actually started to work on them back in '77-78 under Carter to start rearming. They of course have resisted due to the advantages, economically, of existing under our umbrella.

An acquaintence, 3-star Naval rank, in the mid-80's estimated that they could go nuclear back then within 120 days.

[Bluntpoint]

Hopefully they won't start building planes with no landing gear.

[x1stcav]

They got to have adelivery system.