U.S. delivers second radar defense system to Japan

i will point out it is a smart investment and battle tested by experience. I am currently serving in the U.S. Army and in the ADA or Air Defense Artillery and crew operate the patriot missile defense system.As most of the nature of this system is classified, it vastly out-performs any other missile defense system in the world and will do so for the next 40 years. Now one comment mentioned NK might somehow cyberneticly attack this system. i scoff at the idea as the only way into this system is through the engage control station which allows no external communications what-soever, not even maintenance ports or anything of the sort. the only way to take over or render this system inop would be to literally kill off the entire crew or blow up system which is hardly an option.... I say good luck getting anything close enough to do that. No disrespect intended but Japan has laughable national security compared to her enemies. The japanese government has allowed the U.S and her allys to station troops and equipment their as a sort of deterent, but dont get me wrong im sure uncle sam has his personal reasons too, but is still smart because realisticly no one will mess with U.S.. as just the same with Russia and China........ http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/patriot/

scipantheist, the informal cap is 1% of GDP, your point please.

It is our island and we face a large share of the burden of the US Bases. Really dude we want our land back!

Who is "our" and "we"? I thought you lived (by choice) in the USA? If you use we/our to denote Japan/Japanese then I agree. Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. As such they line up and do as they are told just like other prefectures do. They bear their share of the burden for having the privilege of living in an affluent. stable democracy. Okinawa prefecture is not a kingdom or a special group of people who get to go their own way when they have disagreements with the central government. No room for compromise on that point.

The US bases on Okinawa will not help defend Japan against attack.

Truly laughable. I hope you don't really believe that.

As for the new radar not only was it sold but will help defend US bases

Of course it will. US bases in Japan. Which are there to defend Japan according to Article 5.

It was not a gift at all.

Honestly. Please read Yuri. Not once have I said it was a gift. No one has said it was a gift. Only you keep pretending that there is anyone in this thread who thought for a moment it was a gift.

As for being "grateful" , suppose the people of Okinawa should be grateful for the US invasion that killed 200,000 Okinawa people, destroyed our business and homes and has gifted us with a 69 year American occupation.

I never said any of that. It comes from your imagination. But since you imagined it .... lets think. Japan probably would have been better off if she'd been conquered by the commies or the Russians? Is that right? Japan has a lot to be proud of post WW2. Picked themselves up off the mat, learned to work with their sworn enemy, and built the worlds number one economy within forty years. Its gotta be some sort of record turnaround in the history of human society. The hard work and the pride of the Japanese people - that's what I choose to focus on. I think there is room in there for serious minded Japanese people to realize the role America played in that success and yeah, feel a bit of gratitude.

To summarize itsonlyrocknroll, you are talking about 0.1% Japanese budget, YuriOtani. I don't know how Japan can cope with such expenditures. SMH.

Abe san voluntarily contributes through the defence budget. Last August the ministry of defence submitted a record budget request of yen 5.5T($53B), up 3.5% from FY2014. On top of the military purchasing three drones, 20 surveillance aircraft, six F-35, a submarine and the controversial provisional expenditure funding for the new military base.

What may be missing is the political nuance to comprehensively engage both political classes in Japan and the US at large of how comprehensive this commitment is.

Much of the extra defence spend is to deter an attack on Japan’s south-east, to counter a unprecedented standoff with the Goverment of China over the Senkaku islands. Japan’s current defence white paper states “dangerous activities” from Chinese surface fleet and constant harassment from stealth strike combat aircraft, a dangerous rise of incursions into the seas around the islands and coastial line, in a high-risk gamble to force Japan into cowering to the Government of China latest demands that Japan future generation pay hegemony, politically, financially, and finally culturally to its historic imperialist past. It won't succeed it will only end in contempt and finally retaliation.

hiding out " How many times is Japanese central government policy going to be held hostage by a few greedy farmers from Okinawa?" It is our island and we face a large share of the burden of the US Bases. Really dude we want our land back! The US bases on Okinawa will not help defend Japan against attack. They are there for intelligence and training purposes.

As for the new radar not only was it sold but will help defend US bases. It was not a gift at all. As for being "grateful" , suppose the people of Okinawa should be grateful for the US invasion that killed 200,000 Okinawa people, destroyed our business and homes and has gifted us with a 69 year American occupation.

and no Smith and hidingout it cost Japan money to buy. It was not a gift!

We know that. We specifically stated that. I'm sorry for your reading comprehension problems.

Yet, Americans show respect to the other countries like Italy or Germany, but rude to Japanese. Why do Americans have to behave so condescending attitude toward Japanese?

First of all, you sound like the chinese complaining about "losing face" and "centuries of humiliation". Please try to be better than that. Second, I am unaware of any recent instances of America being "rude" to Japan. Its natural that with a socialist like Obama in the WH relations might not be as cozy as they would with a Republican president, but that probably holds true for Obama's WH relations with a lot of other countries too.

Most Japanese live in poor housing, but US soldiers live in much better housing all paid by Japan, and do you still have to complain?

I don't know where you live tina, or what other parts of the world you may have seen but its ridiculous for you to come on here and say "most Japanese live in poor housing". That statement indicates that you don't know what "poor housing" looks like. As for the accommodations for US soldiers, I'll admit that I've never been to any military housing in Japan, but I've been to a few in Hawaii. Its hardly high living.

And yes, I still "have to complain" because the governor of Okinawa prefecture (backed by the 350 000 NIMBYs who voted for him) is once again trying to scrap agreements that have already been made. Do you want Japan to be like ROK? A country that puts its name on a paper and makes a promise and then decides that it wants to renegotiate for a better deal? How many times is Japanese central government policy going to be held hostage by a few greedy farmers from Okinawa? How long are the Japanese people going to keep accepting the benefits of a military agreement with the USA (like getting this new radar system - NOT FOR FREE I KNOW) while trying to live without any of the inconveniences such an agreement entails. If I was Japanese I'd be embarrassed.

Nothing's free; the price is the extra protection of the US mainland, of course.

hidingout

Japan is paying US more than all the other 26 US allies paying all combined. Yet, Americans show respect to the other countries like Italy or Germany, but rude to Japanese. Why do Americans have to behave so condescending attitude toward Japanese? Most Japanese live in poor housing, but US soldiers live in much better housing all paid by Japan, and do you still have to complain? What is your ground of calling Japanese ungrateful?

This will be crewed by Japanese for the benifit of Japan and no Smith and hidingout it cost Japan money to buy. It was not a gift!

I wonder how many of the haters of the US on here will rail against this crying, "We don't need it here! Get out!". Once again the US military helping with the defense of Japan.

For once smith I am in total agreement. Right on the front page of the site today is an article about the governor of Okinawa and his 360 000 constituents who think their NIMBY induced rage should direct Japanese self-defense policy.

Countries all over the world want American military tech. Only a very select few countries get the good stuff. Japan needs to be exceedingly grateful for, and protective of, their position as trusted military ally of the USA.

Japan pays far larger than that. Japan is US colony.

Of course they pay. Why wouldn't they? You think the US is Santa Claus giving away the best military tech in the world, and a standing defense force of the best equipped and trained fighters on the planet for free? How much do you think the PRC commies are spending this year to just dream of developing the kind of radar defense systems Japan has simply been able to buy (with money they printed up willy nilly anyway) from a trusted friend?

I agree with a lot of what you post, but sometimes I think you are just unable to see/recognize/admit any of the bad points of Japan.

As a longtime expat resident of Japan I am extremely grateful for American military support for Japan. I wish the sensible people of Japan would start speaking up against the selfish NIMBYs of Okinawa prefecture.

It cost 50 million dollars, I think.

Japan pays far larger than that. Japan is US colony.

Good fences make good neighbors.

Well, it looks like all the preparation is completed. Now US or Japan can bomb North's nuclear facilities this coming summer.

Maybe the NK Army will try to cyber against the electronics that run this machine.

There's no downside to this, as it helps both the US and Japan. And as soon as Hermit Kingdom gets its internet back - they'll get the message too.

Probably suits both Japan and US interests, sends out a clear message to potential enemies that America is prepared to commit it's state if the art military hardware to Japan. It is a expensive piece of kit.

Raytheon: Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance (AN/TPY-2) http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/antpy2/

The truth about this is almost exactly what the US said. Defense of Japan and USA. But not against North Korea. The one in he north is for Russian and the one in the Southbis for China.

Here the "timing" of it all important.

Why now? That is the question.

Was the Sony hacking a USA plan to "play" the world so they can justify sending the radar to Japan? Or is it a reaction to it?

USA could have sent the radar without announcement. It is being done all the time. Why this time?

Of course, Mr. Obama likes to "expose" everything that USA does. But why?

Japan also has a sophisticated radar system that rivals the USA does it not? Does sending mean "new" technology is being given and at the same time warning China and Russia that Japan now has the new technology with USA compliments?

Is there a "conflict" pending in this area?

Once again the US military helping with the defense of Japan.

Agree. Actually it's a big help.

At least in Capitalism, which is the "heart" of U.S.

Nothing is free, everything’s come with a costs. You scratch my back I scratch yours.

Once again the US military helping with the defense of Japan.

Free?

I wonder how many of the haters of the US on here will rail against this crying, "We don't need it here! Get out!". Once again the US military helping with the defense of Japan.