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Russia starts military drill on disputed islands off Japan

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Should Japan consider the possibility of a Russian encroachment on Hokkaido or just sit back and say ain’t gonna happen?

-7 ( +9 / -16 )

isn’t Ukraine a military exersize also! They built up forces on the border before the invasion, but don’t worry the J gov will keep us in dark like mushrooms.

9 ( +15 / -6 )

They must feel pretty good being thousands of miles away from Ukraine.

13 ( +17 / -4 )

Pretty cushy gig for those troops, relative to what their buddies back west are in the middle of.

17 ( +20 / -3 )

Just 3000 troops drilling on the Northern territories. The JSDF could easily overwhelm the Russians and retake the islands. It’s now or never. What are they waiting for?

-10 ( +9 / -19 )

Just 3000 troops drilling on the Northern territories. The JSDF could easily overwhelm the Russians and retake the islands. It’s now or never. What are they waiting for?

Oh God. Why would we want Japan to start behaving in a scummy way like Russia does?

3 ( +15 / -12 )

Training in preparation for a deployment to Ukraine. Not a happy time in the Russian military.

13 ( +16 / -3 )

A truly childish response to the sanctions.

10 ( +14 / -4 )

JSDF and USFJ need to start conducting excercises in northeast Hokkaido. The only language that the current Russian government understands.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

JSDF and USFJ need to start conducting excercises in northeast Hokkaido. The only language that the current Russian government understands.

Yes, let's behave as badly as them...tut tut

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

It would not incur a NATO response as Japan is not a member of NATO and if the US did respond that also does not auto-trigger NATO because it was not a de-facto attack on the US.

NATO is irrelevant as Japan and the US have a defense agreement in place. Anyone attacks Japan and they are at war with both Japan and the US. If Japan opens up further to additional alliances then it would be even worse for any potential attacker.

Ukraine has no alliances with anyone which is why it fights alone now and can only rely on relatively small weapons systems being donated.

There is truth to the old statement of "Safety in numbers".

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Should Japan consider the possibility of a Russian encroachment on Hokkaido or just sit back and say ain’t gonna happen?

if WW111 happen, Russia will take Hokkaido and china Okinawa. Mark my words.

Just 3000 troops drilling on the Northern territories. 

have you heard of nuclear powered and equipped submarines and high tech warships, just off the coast? Russian cruise missile warships cruising between Hokkaido and Tohoku?

-20 ( +1 / -21 )

War costs most extremely and military drills at war also cost a lot. All money would be gone soon from Russia.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Agreed, no better time window than now. 3000 are easy to handle, even more as they are already exhausted by hard maneuver drills. It’s no conflict, only taking over that back what has been stolen and undoubtedly belongs oneself already.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

quercetem: "Should Japan consider the possibility of a Russian encroachment on Hokkaido or just sit back and say ain’t gonna happen?"

It WON'T happen. With Russia having most of its military occupied in its failed Ukraine campaign, this is just show, and don't forget they are exercises in defense, not attack.

Ossan: "JSDF and USFJ need to start conducting excercises in northeast Hokkaido."

Exercises in what -- how the former can get people to stop talking about the US military bases moving out even faster? Because Japan would be BEGGING for help from the US at even the idea the JSDF have to do anything.

Meiyouwenti: "Just 3000 troops drilling on the Northern territories. The JSDF could easily overwhelm the Russians and retake the islands. It’s now or never. What are they waiting for?"

hahaha. I know you don't mean to, but you're absolutely joking. Russia is not attacking -- they are conducting self-defense drills. Attacking them would be not only against the Constitution, it would guarantee Japan got nuked again.

-12 ( +1 / -13 )

The military drills are just a way of displaying strength. They (Russia) have 3000 troops and equipment to spare while engaging Ukraine forces.

Russia will not leave the disputed islands and by law Japan can not take back the disputed island by force without first being attacked by Russia.

Japan should just announce they will be holding disaster relief excises in Hokkaido with the secondary announcement that they have invited American observers. The American observers agree to attend under the banner of providing safety and security and attend with a few marines and equipment.

See what Russia does next.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Seems strange Russia is involved in a war with its neighbor Ukraine, both peoples of similar race but with reportedly heavy casualties . . . and now they are thinking about minor islands north of Japan . . . . ?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Russia will not leave the disputed islands and by law Japan can not take back the disputed island by force without first being attacked by Russia.

Technically a state of war still exists between Russia and Japan and until a peace treaty is signed, taking the islands back by force is not off the table, as doing so would not violate article 9. They cant start a conflict to get them back (solve a sovereignty issue), but as hostilities have not officially ended with a peace treaty...

That may be why Japan will not sign a peace treaty with Russia acknowledging they are Russian, to leave the door open in the future for some action to be taken if an opportunity arises.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

May be Putin thinks he can relief the pressure in Ukraine by opening a new front in the far east. Putin will not stop or even consider ending the Ukraine war for as long as he can get away with it . opening a new front in the east will shift the world focus away from Ukraine then he can finish his brutality and carnage.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Those 3000 troops will be the well connected or children of the rich, not being sent to Ukraine.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

It's not even news, just a distraction ordered by Putin, an entire continent away to the east from where he's taking a beating.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Just 3000 troops drilling on the Northern territories. The JSDF could easily overwhelm the Russians and retake the islands. It’s now or never. What are they waiting for?

its called an act of war mate, not advisable considering putin is like an angry guy in the bar looking to fight anyone.,

8 ( +8 / -0 )

The islands aren’t disputed, they’re Russian.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Just 3000 troops drilling on the Northern territories. The JSDF could easily overwhelm the Russians and retake the islands. It’s now or never. What are they waiting for?

The inevitable nuclear response aside, Japan has a grand total of three amphibious assault ships each with a capacity of 300 troops. Japan can at most land a large battalion of 900 troops to challenge 3000 Russian troops. The Russians have all weather airfields on two of the Kurile Islands along with truck mounted anti-ship and air defense missiles. I don't think Japan has the ability to capture any of those islands

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Seems strange Russia is involved in a war with its neighbor Ukraine, both peoples of similar race but with reportedly heavy casualties . . . and now they are thinking about minor islands north of Japan . . . . ?

Maybe Kremlin war planners have been reading some of the comments on J-T of late about what an opportune time it is for Japan to take back the Kuriles? O_O

0 ( +0 / -0 )

They must feel pretty good being thousands of miles away from Ukraine.

Lol, for now. Some of their comrades from Russian Far East military units were on those four amphibious ships that passed through the Tsugaru Strait, being transferred from Petropavlosk-Kamchatsky to Vladivostok for rail shipment to the war. After this exercise they could join them.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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