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© 2014 AFP3,000 rally against Abe's collective self-defense plan
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© 2014 AFP
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Ambarish Pokhrel
woooo
Schopenhauer
Preamble of the Constition of Japan "We, the Japanese people, desire peace for all time and are deeply conscious of the high ideals controlling human relationship, and we have determined to preserve our security and existence, trusting in the justice and faith of the peace-loving peoples of the world."
As it is shown above, our peace constitution was written with an assumption that people and the countries of the world are peace-loving. But recent happenings with China and Korea are teaching us that we are naive and chanting "peace" does not guarantee security of the country.
Michael Brian Yamazaki-Fleisher
With the Olympics coming in 2020, international terrorism on the rise like never before, the Chinese knocking on Japan's doorstep and the US doing almost nothing about it, a tyranical South Korean "president" and North Korea keeping up their usual hijynks, it's reasonable to assume that the Japanese people need to be able to protect themselves. International conquest is way beyond the scope of the Japanese government large. I finally moved here in 2011 after yerars of planning and debating, and I love Japan. As things stand now, this nation has enemies that want nothing more than to massacure its population and take the land cultivated by the Japanese people for thousands of years. My wife included, I hate to see people chant "peace, Japan will go to war with no one" even when Chinese war ships are breaching Japanese territorial waters and President Park is talking of retaliation against Japan for WWII, neither letting Japan 70 year-old incidents that this country already paid for, dearly, in blood and radioactive fallout (twice).
I love this country and her people, but eyes need to be openned. This is the 21st century, we're not coming off of a massive world war that killed hundreds of millions worldwide. Asia-Pacific is the last stable economy left on Earth with Japan and China running neck-and-neck for top dog (inspite of what the critics are saying about Abenomics, it's working and the Yen is still the strongest currency in the world as of right now). Japan has a lot to defend. No one is singing Kombaya around a campfire anymore - people are pointing guns at us out here and our ally sworn to defend us won't... Abe should be commended for not wanting his beloved country to roll over and die when China and South Korea demand it.
Sorry to Chinese and South Koreans but this is the political truth.
oldman_13
Yet again, another example of how everyday Japanese citizens are not afraid to stand out, protest, or raise their voices against political or societal issues they disagree with.
Contrary to the stereotypes of the Japanese sheeple, living in a society where they are afraid to speak out or stand against the grain.
nath
Interesting how all warmongering messages come fro people of non Japanese descent. Peaceful approach is much stronger weapon then any military threat or equipment can assure. Japan just like any other country should have a strong and ever ready "Force de Frappe" one than with shortest notice cause quick and painful damage if need be. But that can be easily achieved by powerful missile based air defenses on the ground and a very mobile small well prepared expeditionary force. That way without spending it self in to IMF serfdom and depending mainly on its own technological superiority Japan can resist any potential attempted invasion and quickly hit aggressors territory, cause sufficient shock and command the peace terms before retreating. Keep in mind that all the current tensions are greed driven and greatly enhanced by the Western European-American evil block. Best way for Japan is to play smart and become a catalyst for Chino Japanese Korean cooperation. Nice talk and some olive branches can make the thing slide Japans way easier then the American style sabre rattling.
bruinfan
Too bad some other parties candidates couldn't get elected to balance the LDP's power. They really think they have a mandate. When did we hear that before?
Stuart hayward
Brian: I'm curious If you believe that that the best solution for (Chinese ships, going into disputed waters) is to go to war? If someone attacks me or my Family, I have no problem with defending against that but that is NOT happening to me or Japan. It's my opinion, we have had peace for so long, because of our present stance and agreement. Changing that stance to a more militant view, will lead down an even more dangerous path.
SamuraiBlue
This is something that doesn't sit well with me. Not the "collective self-defense" part but how the government is trying to bend the constitution so this can be accepted.
If the government really believe it is required then they need to follow due process and place it under a referandum in which the people has a direct say to it and not some dumba$$ re- interpretation of the present constitution.
overchan
It should be done. Why cant we help our allies?
Yogizuna
So let me see if I understand this correctly. In a real "hot war", let's say with China for example, you would want the United States to come to your defense, but you would not want Japan to be able to help the American forces if their help was needed? Am I hearing this correctly? You have got to be kidding, because that is a very childish view and not accepting reality at all! Allies have to have the ability to come to each other's aid if needed, like it or not.
Disillusioned
There is supposed to be a public referendum to change the constitution, but Abe and his cronies have managed to sidestep it. I have no doubt they will change it regardless of public opinion. Most Japanese people are against it because they know that WW2 destroyed the country and it took a long time to rebuild. If you ask Naoki Average about the comment will always be, "Japan was stupid!" There is really no need to change the constitution. The way it is now allows Japan to defend itself in any way necessary. If it is changed it will mean Japan can attack without provocation and that is what the Japanese people and the rest of Asia are afraid of. It will only take one right-wing crony to push the wrong button and it will be on again. Sadly, the antagonistic old-boys club of Japanese politics can not be trusted to keep the peace.
MGigante
I love Japan, truly. Everything about it, but this naivete is disheartening.
No one wants war, but the political climate does not allow Japan to sit back and rely on America for security any longer. Its time to end the occupation and become a true partner with the United States in bringing security to Asia.
Japan can, and should, normalize. It should also sign defense treaties with neighboring friendly countries and sell/develop weapons to help in promoting a more peaceful world through deterrence.
Article 9 will be the next thing to go, but the interpretation for collective self-defense is necessary right now for Japan's own security.
This isn't about going to war with some enemy half-way around the world. The Japanese government will not allow that anytime soon even without Article 9. Its about being able to properly defend yourself and deter any thought of war BEFORE it happens. Collective self-defense strengthens Japan's security not because Japan wants to fight, but because aggressive nations know that Japan CAN and WILL fight.
cleo
Because Japan's current allies include a warlike nation with a history of false-flag ops, covert ops and sheer barefaced lying in order to start wars of choice. Japan should not lay herself open to being obliged to put the lives of her young people on the line in a battle of someone else's choosing and making.
They already sent troops to Iraq when it was a war zone, and sent ships full of fuel to support the US war effort in the Middle East, which was a direct violation of the spirit of Article 9. Japan should not be fighting America's (or anybody else's) wars. Seriously, no one is attacking the American homeland, and America does not need any help to protect her own lands, they spend more on military hardware than the rest of the world put together and no one with any kind of a brain is ever going to even contemplate any kind of military invasion. Abroad, she tends to be the aggressor not the defender, and fights the kind of fights that Japan should not touch with a 100-mile long plastic bargepole.
If attacked, Japan has the right, the manpower and the hardware to defend herself without any change to the Constitution.
shinsaku.ai
Not having a gun doesn't mean you can't die from one.
We Filipinos are on the receiving end of China's military bullying in the South China Sea. I remember stories from fishermen relatives of visiting these traditional fishing grounds off the coast of Palawan, my mother's hometown. My mother used to ride by outrigger boat on those choppy seas to visit far away relatives.
Now the traditional fishing grounds of the Ayungin Shoal have been held hostage by China.
At the peak of the confrontation, the Philippine Navy's sole warship of world war 2 vintage was surrounded and harassed by over 90 ultramodern Chinese Coast Guard vessels.
We Filipinos, although we might not have guns, can still die by the guns brought to our seas by the PRC.
We need Japan's help to modernize our world war 2 vintage navy. It is not an accident that of the 4 ASEAN countries with which China has maritime disputes the PRC chose the Philippines, with its lone world war 2 vintage warship, as its first bullying victim.
Those who don't have guns can still die from guns.
Japan's Peace Constitution is a beautiful document that has enabled Japan to live in peace for 70 years.
Japan allowing exports of modern ships and rescue seaplanes can ensure that the Philippines lives in peace and dignity against a terrorizing, bullying China.
Bgood41
Idealistic that out of dated , naive, and implementable. The solar system is still moving, and in the spirit of peace: Japan must position herself for stronger deterrence capability against all surrounding bullies. It is time to get up and smell the roses, for statuesque will not last forever. Ask the Chinese, N.Korea, Russia...to enjoy cherry blossom too!
SamuraiBlue
cleo
Japan does require to revisit article 9 at somepoint since it has very sensitive problems that needs to be addressed. Biggest one being JSDF not recognized as a military by our very own constitution which brings alot of international legality issues in conflict with the Geneva convention. Another also steming from the same problem is that there is no court martial and no military duty of conduct which again makes it a sensitive problem in how to draw the line during a combat situation.
Japan really needs to address these issues for the sake of the personnel that actually places their life on the line in the name of duty.
Jbrinner14
Stuart hayward at Apr. 09, 2014 - 09:09AM JST If somebody attacks me or my family, there is no doubt I'm gonna protect my family. And I'm gonna disable him ( brake his hand or his legs or sayonara ) so that he'll never try to attack me or my family again. In same way japan have to protect her children and should build its capabilities to destroy the opponent so that she never have to face another threat again.
titaniumdioxide
Yamazaki, thumbs up. It's INEVITABLE that the third world war will come to reality and there is a HUGE possibility of ignition here in east asia. China and North Korea is getting more and more aggressive by the day, threatening neighboring countries. Just this week, China said it would "restrain" Japan and take more aggressive action against the Philippines. South Korea cannot be counted as an ally. All they want is to bring Japan down. It's time for Japan to wake up and strengthen the nation's military force. It's now or too late to say never! The third world war is going to be a nuclear contest and therefore Japan should build nuke warheads too. Peace is an illusion. Man needs war to make the illusion running in circles. History tells it all. Man and war exists virtually destined. From the Greeks to the Romans, Mongolians, and so on and so forth. Man lives with war. This is not scary as we may think of. Obliterate the aggressors and build a world under a dream called peace. Amen.
cleo
bbrinner14-
Collective self defence isn't about destroying the opponent, it's about attacking someone else's opponent.
SamuraiBlue - I'm not saying that Article 9 should never ever be reviewed, just that in its present state it hasn't stopped past PMs (Koizumi) from using the Self-Defence forces in a manner that was not self-defence. For the sake of the personnel in uniform, Japan needs to stay well away from 'collective self-defence' aka helping America fight its wars of aggression.
nath
Um, "protecting" yourself by attacking your enemies before the war happens is not defensive, it's offensive (in more ways than one). If the need is for defense, then Japan already has a legal right under their constitution to fully defend themselves. Changing article 9 is required to allow for preemptive attacks, as they are not defense. So the above quote makes no sense.
Yogizuna
This is not about helping America fight it's "wars of aggression". This is about Japan being able to act like an equal among neighboring nations.
SamuraiBlue
cleo
It's related to one another. First of all if Japan does amend article nine then we also need to take a seperate look at the present mutual alliance treaty we signed with USA and may also need to re-examine the nuclear non-profiliation treaty as well. Collective self-defense does not neccessarily mean that Japan has to go anywhere and everywhere the US goes but going against the US means Japan will not be protected by the US nuclear umbrella. It's a very delicate issue that Japan really needs to consider about.
MGigante
If attacked, Japan has the right, the manpower and the hardware to defend herself without any change to the Constitution.>
Yup, sent troops to Iraq...where they pretty much relied on other nations for support if they came under attack because they were not able to attack only defend themselves. Quite embarrassing.
Also, you fail to understand what collective self-defense will be. It is not about sending personnel to Iraq. Nor does it have anything to do with the American homeland. Collective self-defense is about deterring attack by strengthening the US-Japan alliance which WILL help safeguard the lives of Japanese citizens.
Further, Japan's military is strong, but is dramatically outpacing it and already has capabilities Japan simply cannot match with Article 9. When you consider that the JSDF has NO offensive capabilities to counter-attack a hostile force and must therefore wait for the US to swoop in and save the day...well, its not a situation conducive to peace when one side can steamroll the other, and I think we can all agree that Japan can no longer rely on the US like it used to.
We live in a post-Crimea world, now. The entire world watched as the militarily dominant Russia, quite literally, walked its soldiers into Crimea. Ukraine was paralyzed by its own weakness. If you don't think that could happen to Japan in the future, well...China has already done it to the Vietnam and the Philippines in the South China Sea. Whats to stop it from doing it to the Senkakus? Or even some parts of Okinawa prefecture?
No, its high time Japan started to step out of America's shadow and become a true contributor to regional peace. That means a stronger Japan with security agreements to ASEAN.
Lastly, the PRC is not and cannot be a friend to Japan. They will always retain some level of iciness because the PRC needs an outside enemy to prop its regime up. The best Japan can hope for is relatively warm ties and a mutually beneficial trade relationship. Having China view Japan as an equal, and not a weaker party would help immensely.
@Strangerland,
No one has argued for pre-emptive strikes against anyone, and your view of Article 9 is limited. It hamstrings Japan's defense capabilities and its ability to create security agreements in an exceedingly complex and dangerous security environment.
Having a stronger military and robust security agreements make you less of a target which means, while Japan can remain spiritually pacifist, Article 9 has to go.
Vincehwr
Yeah! Every countries around Japan say they are allies but behind your back, they are planning to destory Japan. Neutralise them all before they get the chance. /Sarcasm. A knob doesn't even have a clue how much financial funds wastes away from wars in both aggressor and defenders. Japan cannot afford to blow money like that when they are already in red.
Even if they say they are changing the constitution just to build the military force to defend itself, I'm not trusting the government that denies the massacres in the World War II, sooner or later another nutjob is going to lead and step further into imperialism.
Yuki Nomose
The pacifist constitution was written by winners to impose puppet state to defeated country. Germany and italy have own military forces withouth limitations that US leaved during cold war, why not for Japan that must defend own interests by 3 militarist and nationalist powers in area ? Vis pacem para bellum...
nath
Japan is entirely within its rights to defend itself according to the constitution as it stands, with the self defense force that it maintains. Article 9 restricts preemptive attacks upon other countries. The only reason to remove article 9 is to allow for preemptive strikes. If the only intention is for defense, there is no need to remove the article.
pablo944
I'm totally opposed to war and regard myself as a pacifist. The stance Japan has taken since WWII is very admirable and shows compassion, strength and humanity above what most nations abide by. On the other hand why should Japan be the only nation that limits their own power in the face of conflict? Why should Japan self impose dissability on themselves? Just because they allow themselves more freedom to take military action doesn't make it anymore likely that they will. They as a nation have already proved that they ultimately strive for peace. Unlike some of their neighbouring countries. On that basis I think perhaps Abe has a good point !!!
JoeBigs
When time comes to stand one's ground one must not sit back and allow thugs to bully and beat them. In this world those that sit by and do nothing are the ones that are always harmed.
Bullies go after the one that kowtow and ask for peace. Bullies fear those that stand up to them.
The best defense is a good offense.
It is great to live in a Democracy where anyone can rise up and make their views heard.
avigator
Out of 128 million people there are only 3,000 worthy people?
slowguy2
I see the worship-Japan-no-matter-what crowd are out in force, trying to blame everything on China and Korea yet again. There is so much that's outrageous, not to mention risibly wrong, about their thinking that one does not know where to begin. So let it suffice to just say that East Asian history does not begin and end with post-WWII Japan, and that Japan has no one but itself to blame for the lack of friends and the diplomatic pariah status it currently enjoys. You can shift the blame onto the current generation's warmongering great-grandparents all you want, but the fact is the post-Imperial generations have done little to improve the situation, with the result being that loathing for China and Korea, combined with a childish superiority complex, has become part and parcel of the Japanese self-identity today. Before complaining about the large numbers of people in Asia who return the hatred right back, the Japanese and their worshippers should think hard about why the Japanese are so unpopular among their own kind.
nigelboy
This is rich coming from three stooges of East Asia who are seen as a "threat", "pariah", and complete "joke" from the rest of the world. Look at your post. "among their own kind"? What does that mean? Is this the "sinocentrism" that Korea still practices where China is the big daddy and Korea is the big brother while Japan is the little brother that doesn't "respect" the two?
Thomas Anderson
I'm not a fan of joining the US's wars, which is what this is all about, since the majority of the LDP fall under the "US servility line". But the Self-Defense Force should at least be able to join the UN's international peacekeeping efforts. And Article 9 stating Japan can not hold any military is bogus, since Japan already HAS a very large military called the SDF.
Revising the Article 9 does not mean, that Japan will automatically become an aggressive militaristic nation. Actually, you can and should revise it so that it will NOT become a warring nation. You can specifically add that Japan must not invade any nations out of aggression. But unfortunately, under LDP the Article 9 is going to get either revised or "re-interpreted" for the worse. How long will the left keep this nonsense going?
Ultimately, Article 9 is useful to both the right and the left, and hence the universal and automatic "acceptance". The right won't have to deal with the messy reality of having to have to be involved in international affairs, and the left can keep the illusion that Japan is a "pacifist", "peaceful" country, even though Article 9 is merely ornamental and actually don't mean much of anything in the big picture of things.
SamuraiBlue
Thomas
I never thought I would say this but for once we are at an agreement.
One point, maintaining a military and recognizing a military within the constitution are two different thing as I had wrote above shrouded with various legal issues.
Dara Danh
Japan needs the power to protect itself, it's people and it's territories in the 21st Century. United States won't protect them forever. Unless these people want to end up like the Tibetans, the Uighers, or recently, like the Ukrainians, they need an armed forces that are always ready and willing and capable of defending Japan. to do that, they need to enhance their capabilties, improve their technologies and Collective Self-Defense plan is the first step.
Kabukilover
Good. Rally some more.
toshiko
What Allies mean to Japan? Just helping USA causes all over in the world? More likely ignore Asian countries that fight against China,
Thomas Anderson
http://thediplomat.com/2014/04/japan-a-sheep-in-wolfs-clothing/
toshiko
Look at the banner behind of Mr. Oe, who has been a long ti,e Essayist in Japan. Notice it stated Fukushim and Nuclear Power Plan on bpttpm
SamuraiBlue
Thomas Anderson
Robert's assement is wrong with this one, it really doesn't matter what the US thinks or supports since Japan cannot initiate offensive military operation FULL STOP since she is bounded down by article 9 of the constitution.