Japan faces greatest danger since World War II due to N Korea: Abe

Sorry I don't follow the first bit.. perhaps you can rephrase. But no in general, I don't think people are guilty of their grandparents or great grandparents crimes, could Japan do a better job of saying "that was bad", sure but we are talking about words and the actions of the last 70 years are of a country that doesn't want to repeat those terrible times.

Japan isn't threatening destruction of anyone, or even really demonstrating a desire to extend its reach past its borders.

Have you been to China? How is your Facebook, Twitter, Skype, Google search? And Correct Information? like the information a Government decides you can have?

80% is an interesting number, where did you get that from? And what kind of threat?

Is an individual Chinese person a threat? Don't think so, and while you will come across the odd racist here and there I have found most Japanese people on the street to be extremely accepting.

Is China a threat, clearly it is, it is expanding its military and claiming large parts of ocean and land, and supporting rouge states like North Korea, and as its economy begins to lose its astronomical rise it will become more desperate.

Can I ask have you spent much time in Japan, I have in China, and I know where I would rather be....

LandofExcuses.

Are you saying the missiles don't exist, and the specific threats are all just made up? Like some big conspiracy?

Japan should be able to defend itself period.

Japan can. That's why they have a self-defense force, and their constitution allows for fighting in defense of Japan.

 It's only blown up since Trump started yapping. So I don't see that this can be blamed on Abe.

"Nothing happens in NK without the blessing and assistance from China and Russia. NK is the Cuba of Asia, a purposefully isolated puppet nation where China and Russia can screw with the world, advancing their fascist agendas while pretending to be peaceful nations. If desired, Un could be silenced in minutes by China or Russia, yet these big powerful regimes act powerless. All smoke and mirrors and we have a President who understands this. God Bless President Trump."

The North Korean threat has been build for the last 30 years. We'll before any of the current leaders were in office. The only country launching missles like this is NK, which is doing so in direction of neighboring countries. NK can do what it wants within it's own borders, but when it crosses that line then other countries have the right to defend themselves if need be. Japan should be able to defend itself period. No USA or it's    allies pushed NK to act like this. NK keeps pushing to see what it can get away with and blame others... Honestly NK government needs new leaders with someone who is not nuts..

Strangerland, If Abe didn't provoke NK and neighbors with "proactive collective defense" by changing the peace constitution, perhaps the situation would be very much different now.

Ignoring the fact that Abe hasn't changed the constitution, your comment is getting towards butterfly effect territory.

I was stationed in Japan and lived there for a few years, love it. I hope to retire there. Yes agree USSR and USA have large Nuclear arsenals that could leave this planet a barren rock. No i dont trust USSR but they are not threatening to use Nuclear weapons to get their way. NK is threatening to use Nucs, so what if its only 10,20 or 30 nucs in their arsenal. That is still enough to kill millions on a global scale...

Abe should be blamed for all of this. He failed to see this 5 years ago.

I'm not much of an Abe fan, but until Trump came around, the NK issue was rolling along as the status quo of them rattling sabres. It's only blown up since Trump started yapping. So I don't see that this can be blamed on Abe.

Done recently I mean to say of course. but in the same way I don't have anything against Germans, or the Japanese myself.. me thinks its about time to move on.

Smithinjapan.

Honest question, I'm no particular fan of Abe, but what other path or solution is there in this case specifically talking about NK?

Get closer to Korea/China lose US?

Go it alone and change constitution and have the world against Japan, even though it would actually end up being fairly ineffective without allies.

Stay the path, even with a difficult person to deal with at the top, since the US is already here.

Strangerland, have you heard recently what Abe said in 2018 ?

What does 2018 have to do with this:

Abe should be blamed for all of this. He failed to see this 5 years ago.

I think China has more freedom than Japan to access information, correct information, unbiased information.

Uh...no. That's completely backwards, by any measure. And I have lived in both countries.

80% Japanese see Chinese as threats, what kind of information is that ?

Off the top of my head, I'd say that's misinformation. Without hearing the specific question, how it was asked and who it was asked of, it's meaningless propaganda meant to stoke hatred and fear. Very useful for the Chinese government, when they want to deflect attention from their own failures.

When the world is changing everyone has to change with it, or risk to perish. Clearly China is driving an enormous armament process together with ever increasing claims of land and sea. This must affect everyone in the region. North Korea seems to be achieving its nuclear and missile capability goals. If Japans sits and do nothing it will soon perish. The world is changing and as it seems not for the better.

Let's all take a breather for a moment.

Where would South Korea and Japan be without U.S. Forces stationed in both counties?

Seriously. Think about this for a moment. Any theories anyone? That make sense.

I have a theory. Japan and South Korea would be swallowed whole by China.

Look how China has behaved over the disputed islands. Prime Minster Abe's heart is the right place.

I believe he has a deep passion and love for Japan and his people.

Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe and the people of Japan has never provoked any neighbouring state/country intentionally.

There are right wing elements that state there toxic opinions.

However modern pacifist Japan, its people have never strived to develop an independent nuclear deterrent or a missile system of delivery.

Yet just to state the threat and belligerence the Pyongyang dictatorship has to Japan and people, the explicit danger, is portrayed as unacceptable and an act of aggression.

That is frankly ludicrous.

It's incredibly fortunate we have a PM who understands the gravity of the situation with NK. They are an existential threat and their time is up thankfully. They are done and so are their fawning useful idiots in Japan

Japan and Russia also have regular meetings and even discuss some of the territorial issues they have.. very different

Abe is doing a fine job. Sadly, he cannot simply hide under a rock and wish the world would be a more loving place - like Trudeau, except for the rock part... In his case perhaps a soft throw pillow or couch cushion.

All options are open before Japan to strengthen its defences in face of serious threat emanating from North Korea .PM Abe 's statement after visiting Ase Shrine should be welcomed by all and public should provide full support to him for making the relevant changes in constitution to make Japan a very strong country in Asia.

My wife is Japanese and she has lived in France and NZ and my son is a Hafuu. We need a new Japan. Ready for the new world. Not this archaic mindset.

Nothing like a double dose of fear-mongering to get your day started

China is happily watching the turmoil so it can secure power over the region.

Japan apart from a few stupid old men politician saying something dumb every now and again Japan has not actually "done" anything to China except operate as a normal trading partner and popular tourist destination.

You might think that the answer would be for Japan to remove the US and align more closely with China, but personally I would like to keep my freedom of speech, freedom of access to information and a relatively safe, tidy, clean and unpolluted environment thanks..

Akie, No I can't guarantee, and who could thats ridiculous. And so far there has been no change to the constitution. Can you guarantee China isn't going to continue its military buildup and unsupported claims of large parts of the region? Can you guarantee that China isn't or will never be a threat to Japan's sovereignty, safety and security? The "what if" game is silly.

Perhaps rather than accusing Japan of things it might do or not do in the future you could convince your Chinese friends to defuse the situation so that Japan doesn't have to consider changing its constitution.

It might be hard but think for a second the position Japan, and any normal Japanese person is in, almost all of whom have nothing to do with Japan's follies of the past, who have several nations that say they can never forgive them for something they themselves have not done, (and those few remaining from those times are overwhelmingly strongly in support of pacifism), there are several countries very close to you who have large militaries, who are becoming more territorially aggressive, you are being very specifically threatened by a rouge state, your main ally, whom you have had no choice but to surrender to and accept continued occupation, for better or worse, is now headed by a (as kindly as I can say) impulsive inexperienced politician not well versed in International relations... Perhaps you would consider being able to at least defend yourself too..

Do you have a actual reference for that 80%?

I'm more than happy to be critical of Japan when there is something I don't agree with, and if you search through my posts you will see that, but you are displaying the kind of blind nationalism that allows the wars of the past to occur.

NK, Middle East, Ukraine, South China Sea, all of these are linked up together into an unfolding global crisis because ultimately the players are USA, Russia, and China behind all these. Everyone else is involved in by force, not because they want to.

The biggest threat is an increasingly desperate Russia, as their economy is tanking under the sanctions. Expect aggravating situation in 2018 unless the west ease up the sanctions.

Deep looks rather than pockets. Thats why they like him over here.

In North Korea the majority are increasingly skeptical of the Kim dynasty.

If Abe really wanted to lessen the influence of the dictatorship it would be with this majority that he should be making ties with, not seeking weapons to murder

commanteer, that misinformation is from Japan Abe govt, that is indeed a propaganda to stoke hatred and fear.

I'll take your word for that. I doubt that 80% of the Japanese population would even give any credence to that statistic, let alone agree that China is a "threat," so I can't see its use as propaganda. But there are plenty of news resources available from Japan that nobody has to take Abe's figures seriously. Japan simply has nowhere near the controls on information that China has.

In any case, Abe has failed on economic reform. And poor countries can't afford to play war games. So I think that problem will solve itself.

Japan faces greatest danger since World War II due to N Korea: Abe

LOL, did he just equate the US during WW2 with North Korea of today?

ridiculous hyperbole - all this scaremongering designed to deflect attention from the woeful bunch we have leading in the US, Japan and South Korea.

So you’re telling us that the countless of Soviet and American nuclear tests during the Cold War was nothing of a threath to Japan? That the Soviet downing of a Korean Airliner plane over Shakalin in 1983 who killed 28 Japanese citizens of total 269 fatilities was not a significant threath?

Are you saying that even the Cuba-crisis was nothing compared to today’s threath from North Korea? Your claim Abe, lack knowledge of history!

North Korea firing a nuclear warhead on regardless of target will result in the devestation of North Korea. Kim Jong Un knows this. The last thing he would do, is to launch a suicide attack. He’s smarter than that. He just wants a card to play with during negotiations.

The Soviet Union on the other hand. They could’ve obliterated the world! They had both the arsenal and the manpower of 293 million to do so! For Abe to compare the threat from little North Korea with only 23 million and maybe 10 nuclear warheads, if any! And the threat from the Soviet Union with 293 million and 32 000 nuclear warheads during the Cold War, is just utterly ridiculous.

He didn’t mention Soviet Union, but he said that the threat from North Korea was the biggest since WW2 for Japan. Even bigger than the threat from former Soviet Union! That’s a very disputable claim!

Sharma, shame on you. You selfish is evident. You are using Japan and you are pushing Japan, for a war. What you said is not only against the will of Japanese people, you are also against international law that Japan shouldn't be allowed to have a war capability.

Keep the fear alive Abe... So sad JP people can't smell the cheese

Abe will be the death of Japan not NK.

Could Japanese be pacifiers and not militarily aggressive rec

The security situation facing Japan is the most perilous since World War II because of North Korea's "unacceptable" provocations, 

What a pathetically ridiculous and in fact scandalously historically wrong statement. This statement would mean that Japan’s security was threatened during World War II, which of course was not the case. Japan was in WWII the aggressor who invaded countries and slaughtered population, and has contributed alone to establish terror and war in East Asia. So what Japan’s security during WWII is this lunatic talking about? In fact today’s situation with North Korea traces its roots to WWII due to Japan’s invasion of Korea which ended divided in two parts after Russia and US defeated Japan there. Japan is responsible to the current existence of North Korea, so how can he now play the victim?

I am really tired to see this ugly face throwing revisionist statements to the government controlled Japanese media knowing that the apathetic and mostly ignorant Japanese population can just listen to hit and believe it.

I would like this to be a year in which public debate over a constitutional revision will be deepened further

Abe’s government has passed several anti-democratic laws during the last few years without any concertation with the population, so how can he speak about debate? There is no debate in Japan, never, there is an oligarchic, authoritarian and corrupted government, and an apathetic population which just listens to what it is told to do and think.

Ah, the saviour of Japan to the rescue. He'd better not do anything to derail the upcoming N-S Korea talks. Peace and stability in the region is most important, not scoring political brownie points. You've already 'won' the election.

The only danger facing Japan is Abe himself.

How can that man live with himself?

70 odd years of peace, and he is willing to throw all that away.... and for what?

i don’t think even he knows the answer to that.

He’s just trying yet again to justify an attack on North Korea, regardless of the progress between the two Koreas lately. Opening the Hotline and maybe allowing North Korea to compete in the Winter Olympic.

Abe is only hampering the unification progress with these claims.

I don’t think Abe wants a peaceful and reunited Korea. I think he seek to justify an attack on North Korea with the U.S before that time!

Funny how Japan and America are just fine with Pakistan having nukes, yes Pakistan, that country which is up to its eyeballs in arming, training and financing terrorism and has threatened to wipe India off the map...this NK "threat" is a manufactured crisis to advance certain agendas.

Actually, Japan faces the greatest danger since World War II due to Abe. And I like how he's trying to pace these revisionist pledges between vows to increase women in the workforce, and vows to improve the economy -- all vows he has made dozens of times and not yet started or... or just failed.

Japan, constitutionally, is a peaceful nation, rejects war as a mean to resolve conflicts. But Abe wants to change that. Abe even proactively promotes conflicts. For example, Abe is actively involved in the South China Sea where Japan clearly knows that China has the claim over all other claims. Japan returned most Islands in South China Sea back to China at the end of WW2. Now, it seems that Japan forgets all of that and publicly and provocatively states that there are disputes in South China Sea and China is expanding her claims. China claimed South China Sea in 1945, by the old Taiwan govt. The current Chinese govt never claims more than that. Where is the expansion ? If that is not a sign that Abe wants a war in South China Sea, it is at least a sign that Abe doesn't want a peace in South China Sea.

No wonder Abe feels less safe now, What do you expect if you treat your neighbors the way Abe does ?

If Abe can do that to China, he can do that to anyone. NK is a small cake for Abe. Abe just uses NK to satisfy his fantasy of power of forces.

commanteer, that misinformation is from Japan Abe govt, that is indeed a propaganda to stoke hatred and fear.

Due to Abe.

..more like deep pockets and love for wasting taxmoney .

Ouuuuh ! Be scared, folks !

I will protect the people's lives and peaceful living in any situation

Will he become Captain Nippon and stop nuclear missiles with his bare hands ?

Letter to Japan,

I am a bit like an expert about constitution of a constitution from the ground and its effects on the collective soul. It is not about politic but about nature and identity.

From what I saw from Japan since Mr Abe started to want to militarize it, the country is not ready. First, I don't think Japan will be able to refrein itself to go to war to clean problems. Secondly, the future is about ending wars. This is a dangerous collective set back when you already are in the future. Third, it not an eternal "no", but merely a "not yet because".

**The War Game**

You are not able to do real diplomacy and peace talking with your neighbours. What will happen when their will be an armed conflict ? Will you understand the high stakes ? Old men maybe. But the rest of the Japan world ? No. Young men, they love too much wars games to not make the same past mistakes again and not follow the path of war in newspapers.

Remember that you choose to make of war a gameplay. That was possible only because you were pacifique country. I am pretty sure international economic law took this in account to allow your games and products on international markets. US seals are an enough problem but it is a matter under control of himself and UN.

Japan have never been in control of high world stakes, and war machine won't help you get it better. You could have choose the path of india. The neutral and peace path, but you failed. You choose to renew with past war symbols.

Too early, or too late ?

For me, Japan is advanced on the world time. That's what we love and why we buy your products, and less today. US army will protect you, you know that. You can learn to protect yourself with new research and more advanced technology. You are supposed to become a new peace conscience born from nature for the world and help united state to not stray.

If don't stay on the path of peace, you will loose zazen in the world of today. War technology is not about war. It is about a metal spirit age and stage. China is trying to get ride of "metal stage". Introducing metal in you wind is dangerous to hell according to yourself too. You take the rick to put the whole Asia in metal stage strategics while being in nuclear power time.

The world of metal is very dangerous when your into the wind. My country tried to force me to do metal and it did not go well because it is an artefact of a dead past.

What of now ?

This a matter of stages of wise. To be able to handle nuclear weapon you need to have found the world diplomacy wise. Since I've got it , I really well know that japan isn't world wise, because you are not continental wise with your neighbours. My opinion is "you are afraid". They have bigger war powers than you, so you are agressive to proove yourself you are a man not a woman. But China always had a bigger war power so it will solve nothing.

Peace is about building a neutral zone that become the new common ground. Peace is the future that is possible in peace for both country and become friend again. You agree not to be yet but agree on steps to go forward the time of peace and love that is our universal human future. You can't change past pain, but you can forbid your enemy to use it against you and tease you.

After diplomacy peace , holding nuclear power is possible, before you will just make war with your nuclear power or detroyed your male ego because you have not biggest one. The better game is not to play or be sure to be best peace warrior. But according to you last Canne film, Kenchin is not your dream anymore. This is more dangerous than anything because Kimura was famous for his peace dreamy soul.

In the end

You population can't accept the change of constitution without starting to going backward on old time war period. Peace is an evolution, and the next step is the indian neutral zone. This step start when you can BUILD peace with your diplomacy skills without hurting others feelings - women too and foremost. Then, nuclear bomb is really about protection and not about a tool to be the higher bider. It is a stage that Japan have yet to reach.

Your constitution is more advance than your leaders. But going backward is not possible without a collective humanity crime. Time have change, the protophilosophics empirism are against this until you are not in the neutral diplomacy zone where it will a step forward instead of backward.

For all those reasons, I think Japan should give up on his war dream and USA should be more considerate about the dreamers who leaved under their peace constitution. I understand the hate of the united state, but talion is not protestant, Jesus Christ is all about forgiveness to young children. Being a good friend is letting the good conscience of the group growing in wisdom when the war fear is starting. "It was a long time ago".

I understand the long terme concern about north and south Corea, but UN army promise US will take care of the problem before leaving. This is about making both country one again. They need the south human part to become the whole corean heart of asia. So be an advocate of peace and reunion, this is their worst fear and enemy: not having an enemy.

Is this the elusive third arrow?

Strangerland, have you heard recently what Abe said in 2018 ?

It should read "Japan faces greatest danger since W.W. II due to U.S. Forces in Japan."

What an ignorant statement. The threats to world peace, and particularly peace here in Japan, are Abe, Trump, and Kim, not necessarily in that order.

It's their rhetoric, their so-called "leadership", that is to blame! Things were a hell of a lot quieter before!

Given their history, one would think, by now, that the Japanese would be aware when they are being hoodwinked by their leaders, but apparently not. Japan is the eternal epitome of a nation of mindless followers.

Strangerland, If Abe didn't provoke NK and neighbors with "proactive collective defense" by changing the peace constitution, perhaps the situation would be very much different now. If Abe didn't circle China with his quadrilateral strategy, perhaps the North East Asia would be very united by now. If Abe believes that China is the most vital nation is controling NK, then why would he limit China's role with his diamond ? Everything does not add up in Abe 's policy. Japan indeed is less safer now because Abe's 5 year anti-neighbor policy. If Abe gets his way to abandon peace constitution, Japan would be not only unsafe, but also dangerous.

NZ2011, Should Japan be alway apologetic to China ? For what Japan did 70 years ago ? For the same reason, apologetic to NK and SK ? And for the same reason to South Asian countries ? And for the same reason to US ? And for the same reason to India ? And for the same reason to Australia ?

Speaking of freedom of access to information, Abe is really limited. What is freedom good for if is not used, or can't be used ? I think China has more freedom than Japan to access information, correct information, unbiased information. 80% Japanese see Chinese as threats, what kind of information is that ?

NZ2011, "but we are talking about words and the actions of the last 70 years are of a country that doesn't want to repeat those terrible times." Can you guaranteed that ? Given the fact that Abe is changing peace constitution ?

"80% is an interesting number, where did you get that from? And what kind of threat?" From Abe govt.

It should read "Japan faces greatest danger since W.W. II due to U.S. Forces in Japan."

Abe should be blamed for all of this. He failed to see this 5 years ago.

Although North Korea has conducted missle tests, (as many other countries have) it does not have the resources to wage war against Japan.

Abe sori should relax.....