Push for stronger military leaves many Japanese uneasy

Japan’s move to expand the role of its armed forces has left both veterans and fighting families uneasy....

But in September the government of nationalist Prime Minister Shinzo Abe rammed through legislation allowing the nation’s troops to fight abroad.

If most Japanese didn't want this legislation to get through then they shouldn't have voted for Abe in droves. Voting for their wallets at the expensive of their ideals.

He's been openly telegraphing his motive to alter Article 9 ever since he's been a politician. This was very clear during his first term as PM in '07.

The Japanese have only themselves to blame for voting a known right wing nationalist onto the thrown - twice.

Push for stronger military leaves many Japanese uneasy

Not just the Japanese!

“My former colleagues tend to say they can’t simply die for an uncertain amount of compensation for their families and…for ambiguous causes with public opinion divided,”

Absolutely right. There may be a time and a place for the military of every country to have to be used. However, in far too many cases, political leaders have made use of their military and sacrificed the country's lives to support goals and initiatives that are, at the very least, questionable.

The fear, of course, is that Japan does exactly that as a result of the revised law passed this year.

Push for stronger military leaves many Japanese uneasy

Understatement of the year.

I agree that Japan should strengthen its military, but I don't like the idea of their military joining US forces in wars that were started on a pack of lies.

Keep the military at home. No pointless around the world "involvements" like in Vietnam and Iraq...please!

Not by choice - which implies suffering.

Japan should be allowed to strengthen its military, however it should not be rushing to join conflicts that don't impact the country. China is playing a very dangerous diplomat game and is clearly militarising so why shouldn't Japan.

It isn't the creation of a stronger military that is the problem Japanese worry over. It is two fold. 1. The provision that would allow Japan to project military power abroad if not attacked is the main issue. Without this provision most people here would support making the SDF stronger for defence. 2. The fact that the PM has essentially changed the constitution without due process to do so. This is a major violation of the Japanese people's right to self determination and Abe should be called to accounts for it. A "re-interpretation" is not a legal change, it is a work around to avoid having to raise the change through proper process because he knows it would fail. These are the actions of a wanna-be dictator and not a man representing the will of his people.

Japan does not need to project military power unless it is directly threatened. People here support this idea and not the idea of joining other actions needlessly and counter to the values and constitution of this country.

Push for stronger military leaves many Japanese uneasy

No push and leaving things as is would make me feel uneasy. Do ordinary Japanese realize how "assertive" china has become in the region?

He's been openly telegraphing his motive to alter Article 9 ever since he's been a politician. This was very clear during his first term as PM in '07.

And yet Abe critizicers will blame him and not the masses of sheepish voters who turned out to elect & re-elect him.

Lots of issues wrt to J-military. It all starts with Japan very poor record of dealing with WWII etc, so nobody trusts Japan.

Japanese are too used to the US protecting them without really realizing that the US is protecting them, they think Japan having been peaceful(by FORCE by US constitution) has made Japan peaceful, that's not really correct but many seem to believe it.

While Japan has an SDF, its just a snap of the fingers to change it to a pretty well equipped military force, consistently one of the worlds highest spenders on military equipment.

Bottom line is I don't think most Japanese have a real good grasp of their own history & how the SDF has developed etc, what the US forces have done for Japan for 7decades etc etc

And then there is the big one & that the good old Japanese Genie that has been kept bottled up for 7decades..........

@BertWoos Military might does not prevent wars, it causes them.

That's one perspective, another is military might might prevent a nation from being invaded, thereby stopping wars.

Another perspective is economic might coupled with a belief system (political or religious, whatever) that sorts cultures into them v. us can be used to justify invasions and 'cause' wars.

Military might does not prevent wars, it causes them.

As the old saw says, "Fighting for peace is like folking (misspelling) for virginity."

"Speak softly, and carry a big stick." There is profound meaning to this.

Perhaps an amendment altering the appointment of justices and judicial review is in order. Make supreme court justices elected at-large or chosen by lottery from amongst constitutional law-certified citizens. Then make all bills subject to judicial review before it can become a law (proactive v reactive judicial review). Currently, the supreme court is fairly quiet and is appointed by the pm. I call conflict of interest (and yes, this process is similar in US, but that doesn't make it right).

Push for stronger military leaves many Japanese uneasy

Wait until soldiers start returning in coffins and body bags.

Abe needs to get his priority straight.

What's he doing about government waste and Fukushima? All he cares about is his right wing agenda. Shame on the Japanese for tolerating his tyranny.

It isn't the creation of a stronger military the problem Japanese should worry over. It is basically the US who have the interest that Japan invest in military to be able to use Japan for its own interests.

HarveyP

Correct, that is why many died & continue to die in Iraq, & of course the biggie was Vietnam, US still needs a lot to learn in this regard

It's unfortunate but a stronger military is necessary. Everyone cries for peace but they all lock their doors at night. That's the reality. You have to be prepared for the crazies...

The US are threating China, not vice versa, involving Japan in the South China Sea disputes, that China could solve by diplomacy. You don't see Cinese military bases all around the American continent.

What do WWI and WWII have in common? They were both proceeded by global monetary crisis. Today, we have over $200 trillion in world wide sovereign debt, which can never be paid back. The dollar is the world's reserve currency, and yet the US is the largest debtor nation in the history of the world. China, Russia, Iran, India, and many others have begun trading between themselves without using the dollar. OPEC is threatened by the Syrian/Russian/Iranian pipeline because Gazprom could sell the oil and gas in whatever currency they want. You see, the US could never have become the largest debtor nation in the history of the world without anyone to loan it the money. The ability to use other currencies for trade, and oil specifically will cause a flood of dollars back to the US causing hyperinflation. The problem for Japan, is since China has dumped over $130 billion of US Treasury Bonds this year, Japan is now the largest holder of US Debt at over $1.3 trillion. Instead of dumping the debt while its still worth something, Japan must pretend that it's keeping the peace world wide. In reality, Japan is defending the US government's ability to borrow money it has no intention of ever repaying. This is why Japan will hold all the US debt for as long as Washington wants it to. Japan is a colony of the US.

I don't know for sure, but I doubt most Japanese are uneasy about simply creating a stronger military, though they probably are uneasy about the way it's being done. Legislation being rammed through, so we can fight abroad, the "reenterpitation" of article nine, as well as being told that the US's protection, is the only way for us to truly protect ourselves.

Agree.... Japan should strengthen their military.... they're good enought this time.....

PTownsendNOV. 08, 2015 - 12:18PM JST

That's one perspective, another is military might might prevent a nation from being invaded, thereby stopping wars.

Another perspective is economic might coupled with a belief system (political or religious, whatever) that sorts cultures into them v. us can be used to justify invasions and 'cause' wars.

Agreed, except you left out that many countries with powerful militaries also justify invasion and cause unnecessary wars.

Don't fear the military. It's made up of your brothers and sisters and husbands and wives and friends. All in all, they're people just like you, giving their lives for you.

Fear the politician. They're the ones who sacrifice your families and the last ones to fight for you. That's why it really makes me mad when people don't vote.

Get informed and vote because you should never let the politician know you're apathetic or don't care because that's when they're the strongest and they make decisions in their best interests, not yours.

Politicians must know you're informed, you watch, you care and you'll vote them out if they behave like dictators.

They were mercenaries for US interest in east Asia. The Japanese public dont see their existences were honourable.

only change is they now can carry a fully loaded rounds/magazine that inserted, cocked and loaded and for a long long time they've been in them middle east and them asian hot spot like doing civil work from roads to pumped water supply.

Some pretty depressing view of the world here. I say let's eat, drink, be merry and enjoy it while the dollar buys 120 yen.

bpsitrep - realistic comments

The U.S. going to bed with the devil to counter pita China.

The U.S. going to bed with the devil to counter pita China.

It's Japan going to bed with the devil to counter pita China.

It's Japan going to bed with the devil to counter pita China.

And China is some sort of angel? You kinda funny, Alex-chan.

I personally believe it is of great and grave concern for all, not just he Japanese.

The question is WHY is there a need to build up, and not whether Japan is becoming more military or that Japan may even start a conflict. In the current world environment, it is impossible for Japan to take the role it did during WWII. And there is absolutely no need for japan to do so.

To sound off an alarm against the government's actions because of the fear of a war is at this point mute. It is not image or ideal society without military, but why and where is the NEED and NECESSITY to make such a move. No government want to spend unnecessary Yen (money) for military unless there were a purpose and a need.

So therefore, the FEAR should be place on Where and Who or What is/are the enemy or enemies toward which Japan must place its military. and why the need for the buildup. Then and only then, there is/are a place for argument for or against the buildup.

Mike3113King: Thanks for adding a much broader view to this discussion! Great post!

Like once upon a time Japan had the compulsory military draft and if need to be the government will recall this concept to once again build it's national military forces?

Keep up the pressure Okinawans. Don't yield an inch. Shin-chan and co will blink first

OK, from Japanese point of view, we actually do not feel uneasy about the expansion of military power. On the contrary, we welcome this, because finally we are able to have more power to protect ourselves and a favorable relationship through military operation with other nations. However, most of us thought that Abe legalized this in haste. My people basically do not like drastic change, so that many reacted to the legislation like what the article says. Plus, some organizations, such as “mother blah-blah” or ”SEALDS”, funded by communist party and DP(Democratic party), got together to protest the legislation as if most of Japanese were turning down the change. Some ignorant people were influenced by them. As you know, my people are influenced so easily….but we already realized we need more power to protect our land.

Most of you are half and half with your posting like it's not about China or North Korea,..like look deeper whereas it's them Islamic bad guys and Russia;..that's why WWIII is never going to happen like I repeat it's Russian or ISSI if it becomes a world terrorized epidemic;..repeating Russia and if your vision is immature, you won't agree it's all about Russia.

Japan does not need to project military power unless it is directly threatened.

No it doesnt I agree, it has the US to do it for them.

As the old saw says, "Fighting for peace is like folking (misspelling) for virginity."

AN old cliche that is not always accurate.

The US are threating China, not vice versa, involving Japan in the South China Sea disputes, that China could solve by diplomacy. You don't see Cinese military bases all around the American continent.

And Japan is a willing participant because the region is vital to Japan's economy.

If it could/would solve its problems diplomatically, why build military bases in contested waters?

What...are you going to depend upon Obama and Hillary to protect Japan?! You've seen how that's worked for it's own Ambassador in Libya, the 'Syrian' rebels, Iraq, Afghanistan. At least, at the very least, Japan needs some 'combat' experience veterans to put their boots up all the pacifist rear-ends when the time comes and it will come. CHINA. At the very least - Japan needs to get their Special Forces involved with US SpecOps 'real World' operations. You can run drills all day, but until that moment becomes 'real' does everything take a different life of it's own, and only that kind of experience can make the difference for an Armed Forces to survive when it is truly needed. Kind of like fire department fire fighters, airline pilots, doctors.....until all that training is actually used, do things begin to get better for them and become better.

"including China and Korea, which suffered under Japan’s wartime aggression."

China suffered. Korea was part of Japan.