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Japan's defense contractors get to grips with foreign military buyers

21 Comments
By Tim Kelly

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21 Comments
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Look at what you wrought China.

Happy now?

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

"get to grips?" Have heard the term "come to grips" and if it's the same it's inappropriately used here.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Japan arms dealing. No longer a pacifist nation

8 ( +10 / -2 )

The remilitarization of Japan starting unobtrusively with ""defense" contracts and then expanding to supply foreign regimes so that eventually the Japanese armament industry based on cutting-edge technology can become an international brand and Japan can take its rightful place on the UN Security Council as a fully-fledged "normal country" with the "Peace Constitution" consigned to the trashcan of history has always been Abe's wet dream. So who's gonna wake him up?

4 ( +6 / -2 )

'At the ShinMaywa Industries booth, Indonesian air force officials quizzed the company about its amphibious plane. In another corner of the Japan Aerospace 2016 show, Saudi Arabian military officers pored over military transport and patrol aircraft brochures handed out by Kawasaki Heavy Industries.'

Recently, Saudi Arabia has used American weapons to murder civilians in Yemen! Do the Japanese people really want their exports to be used for offensive killing as well?

I think not!

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Recently, Saudi Arabia has used American weapons to murder civilians in Yemen! Do the Japanese people really want their exports to be used for offensive killing as well?

No one in this country will look at it this way. Hell the argument could be made that Toyota products are being used to kill people in Syria and Iraq today.

The government only sees income and profits, same as business, and the populace will care little and if asked on the street they will probably agree with your sentiment but with a glazed look in their eye.

They wont care, until something happens close to home, literally close to home.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Look at what you wrought China.

Happy now?

Told you not to nationalize the Diaoyu Islands, Japan.

Happy now?

2 ( +8 / -6 )

The government only sees income and profits, same as business, and the populace will care little and if asked on the street they will probably agree with your sentiment but with a glazed look in their eye.

Bang on. The Abe regime and it's supporters see only dollar signs while the true horror of what's happening in places like Yemen is kept far away from the public's eyes by compliant media. Sympathetic indifference is the standard response.

" the US, which has sold the Saudis $110bn worth of arms since President Obama assumed office, and recently approved the sale of $1.15bn more"

"Since the conflict began 18 months ago, more than 6,800 people have been killed. Both rebels and the regime have committed atrocities, though most of the dead are civilians and most have been killed by Saudi-led airstrikes. Almost 14.4 million people are now “food insecure”, according to the UN’s World Food Program, and 2.8 million people have been displaced. In 2015, there were 101 attacks on schools and hospitals. After two Doctors Without Borders hospitals were bombed resulting in 20 deaths – one in Taiz on 2 December 2015 and the other in Abs on 15 August this year – the humanitarian group was forced to withdraw from its six hospitals in northern Yemen. And the latest news is a cholera outbreak".

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/oct/15/us-bombed-yemen-middle-east-conflict

4 ( +6 / -2 )

@kurisupisu

Do the Japanese people really want their exports to be used for offensive killing as well?

ShinMaywa’s US-2 and the C-2 are not armed, they can not fire any weapons and actually kill people. Both aircraft are basically of civilian design, only used by armed forces. Toyota cars are also can be used by the military. Should Japan ban their export too?

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Deathonomics

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Weapon sold to Saudi Arabia have been found in the Syria conflict despite government non reexport guarantee. Japan must take responsibility.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

they can not fire any weapons and actually kill people

ask the East Timorese about BAe Hawk trainers

0 ( +2 / -2 )

This is the real reason behind Abe's desire to change the constitution. He wants a slice of the multi-billion dollar international arms market.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

ask the East Timorese about BAe Hawk trainers

And what is the connection between these planes and Japan?

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

And what is the connection between these planes and Japan?

The connection is that vehicles and aircraft that may begin their careers as unarmed platforms can easily be converted into weapons capable platforms. For example, both the C-2 and the US-2 could be given the same treatment that the C-130 was and become ground attack platforms. The UH-X will most likely be easily capable of this, as well as the "surveillance drone" that is being built by Japan.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

For example, both the C-2 and the US-2 could be given the same treatment that the C-130

Technically it is possible, but it will make no sense. US-2 with guns will become too heavy and will be unable to perform duties it is designed for. C-2 is too fast in comparison with C-130. Will you also propose the same treatment to Boeing-747 or Airbus?

Pickup trucks are more easily converible into makeshift combat vehicles, but does it mean that Japan should ban the export of Toyotas and Nissans?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

For some, anything that might boost the GDP is OK - even even contributing indirectly to death and destruction in far away places. Very sad.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Are we all so naive not to expect Japanese military exports not to be used for offensive purposes? Any ship, plane or munition can be modified to become offensive and there are regimes in the world that will seek to do so. The hundreds of new Toyota trucks,some with heavy duty weapons that have been shown are evidence that shows how easy it is for well financed terrorists to modify whatever they wish! And surely, a company like Toyota must be wondering exactly how so many of its products have ended up in terrorist hands?

Yet they have..... . . When the victimised find made in Japan on weapons in a far off land then won't the Japanese people become victims themselves?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

There's no profit in peace.****

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The weapons will be used in an advisory role just like all the other US lead envoys to war zones are.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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