politics

Trump says U.S. will arm Japan to shoot down N Korean missiles

41 Comments
By Jill Colvin and Jonathan Lemire

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Japan has made, and continues to make, the largest purchases of US military equipment in the world. Japan is buying the Lockheed Martin F-35, the Bell Boeing Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft and the Northrop Grumman Global Hawk drone.

For years, Japan has purchased from the US state of the art combat systems for its fleet, the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force, including upgraded AEGIS combat system with ballistic missile defense capability.

As usual, Trump doesn't know what he is talking about.

Cheers

13 ( +16 / -3 )

As part of his Asia tour, Trump will visit South Korea, where he will forgo the customary trip to the demilitarized zone separating north and south — a pilgrimage made by every U.S. presidents except one since Ronald Reagan as a demonstration of solidarity with the South. Instead, Trump planned to visit Camp Humphreys, a military base about 40 miles south of Seoul

Because he is a first class twit. And no one trusts him to go anywhere near the DMZ and not start a war.

Because he is a twit.

1 ( +9 / -8 )

Beef? Cars? Pretty hard to believe it wasn't about military sales all along. Just like when Trump went to Saudi Arabia. Trump's shilling for the US war industries.

Will he show his tax info so the public can see which of the war industries he has shares in?

7 ( +12 / -5 )

Aaaaaaaand there you have it folks. The real reason for this 'historic' trip.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

Abe got what he wanted.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

This is why salary doesn't increase, why Japan is accumulating account surpluses, to buy weapons from the US' military complex

15 ( +17 / -2 )

As usual, Trump doesn't know what he is talking about.

the economy, jobs market, stock market and consumer spending say different

-9 ( +5 / -14 )

The only thing keeping China, Korea and the rest of South East Asia from doing to Japan what Japan did to them is the United States Of North America is it's current president Trump.

-11 ( +5 / -16 )

This aggression will not stand man.

The Dude.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The only thing keeping China, Korea and the rest of South East Asia from doing to Japan what Japan did to them is the United States Of North America is it's current president Trump.

Yeah, they were constantly doing it before Trump was president and then suddenly stopped when he became president. Right?

...right?

12 ( +15 / -3 )

That's great orange man. Way to further escalate the problem. So much for not being tied to special interest groups. Military industrial complex, anyone?

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Buy more of our weapons... or else.

That's the narrative here. Veiled threats.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

It's illegal under international law,

It would be a provocation against North Korea and under international law give North Korea the right to attack Japan legally,

Trump has two reasons to do the actions in the Korean peninsula,

One is to get other countries to fight America's Wars

The other most obvious one is to sell very very expensive american Arms by scaring countries into if they don't buy them they will perish

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Japan, you need to stand on your feet. Do something by yourself instead of begging others to give weapons or issue statements.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Trump says U.S. will arm Japan to shoot down N Korean missiles

Isn't the justification for there being soo many U.S. basses in Japan so we don't have to worry about defending or attacking? With all the US military hardware already in Japan, how are more weapons going to help?

8 ( +10 / -2 )

This is a pragmatic move. Unfortunately it is looking very likely that NK will have to be wiped out completely, so the mass purchase of advanced missile defense systems in preparation for their short lived counter salvos is a standard move.

It would actually be suspicious and treasonous if there wasn’t any preparation and that would also indicate capitulation to NK, an unthinkable betrayal.

Thankfully the administration isn’t that stupid

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

Was it false news? I read somewhere some time ago that Trump is in business producing such arms now being sold to other nations. Is that information correct? If so, doesn't that put him in a serious conflict of interest and exacerbate the incorrectness of having his daughter (who is supposedly running his businesses while he is President) in on the meeting with Abe the other day?

And as an aside, for the moderator's consideration re yesterday's question of capitalization (acknowledging that different English speaking countries have their own conventions and publication's style guides may vary in this area) I have capitalized "president" in this instance because the name of the president in question is understood. Just as you understood is not an omitted subject and does not create an incomplete sentence.

So in some cases when we speak of the President when it its understood that it is President Trump or the President of the United States or the Emperor (and in context it can only mean Akihito of Japan) it is not incorrect to capitalize the title. However, the president of a company is not capitalized unless we say President X of YZ Company.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Chinese factories triple the defensive missiles production

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I wonder if Mr. 45 realizes that when Japanese people say "yes" that they are acknowledging what you are saying, and NOT necessarily agreeing with you.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

it is looking very likely that NK will have to be wiped out completely

Well, the US and allies tried that during the Korean War, dropping biological and chemical weapons on the North, together with 32,000 tons of napalm and more conventional bombs than were dropped in the entire Pacific War. The North was reduced to nothing more than a smouldering pile of rocks. 20% of the population was killed. Yet, 65 years later, it's still there, and still giving the US the finger.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

I guess that will balance trade. But there goes my tax money.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Everyone start learning to speak North Korean dialect or chinese, your choice.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Between Trump and Abe, Trump is much more presidential, definitely a leader, no doubt at all.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Beyond the semantics, bottom-line the U.S. has got Japan's back and vice-versa. Though Japan has to do more to defend its own shores.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

well his pigment means a lot less to me than the economy and jobs numbers, so I am happy

You inhabit this strange universe don't you, where you imagine that these weren't on the rise before Trump came in?

Mass shootings, racial tension and international tensions also seem to be up. Does he get the 'credit' for that? Do you believe everything he tells you?

7 ( +7 / -0 )

You inhabit this strange universe don't you, where you imagine that these weren't on the rise before Trump came in?

umm... have you looked at a graph lately? the only thing on the rise in 2015-2016 was welfare and gas prices

0 ( +1 / -1 )

when he completes the purchase of lots of additional military equipment from the United States.

I guess that is why Rocket Man has been acting this way, to help the US sell more weapons.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

In the photo, the prime minster's nose is looking a little browner than usual. But he seems happy.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

If Japan is buying/going to buy all this military equipment, why is the US military here? I thought they were here to defend Japan. Unkown to Trump, we do pay 70 to 80% of the cost of "hosting" the US military.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Two bad men using each other: Trump shilling for serious sales for the American Military Industrial complex and Abe wanting Japan back in the 1930s with an imperial military and license to kill abroad. Disgusting. And when those chickens come home to roost...

3 ( +4 / -1 )

"...but look what has happened with very weak rhetoric in the last 25 years."

Okay, what happened? No war, right?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Anything that strengthens the U.S - Japan alliance in Asia is a positive in my view, but we need to move well beyond defence and the N.K threat and really talk about reshaping trade away from mass Chinese imports and towards India as the major source of manufactured goods at the lower-mid end. When we can offer the millions of jobs that come with that, which India needs to develop, can we we will be in position to pursue the democratic balance to China's dictatorship in Asia, or what they now call "socialism with Chinese characteristics", "development with Chinese characteristics", "human rights abuse with Chinese characteristics....". Wtf does it even mean? It sounds highly exclusive and exclusionary to me. Personally, I am much more in favour of "socialism with democratic characteristics or Scandinavian characteristics, even better".

America needs to realise that guns and tanks and bombs are not going to win over Asia. They need trade and good jobs like everywhere else. It's time the White House took a much more forthright role in what and where U.S companies invest. Same applies to Japan & Australia.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Alfie NoakesToday 09:28 am JSTit is looking very likely that NK will have to be wiped out completely

Well, the US and allies tried that during the Korean War, dropping biological and chemical weapons on the North, together with 32,000 tons of napalm and more conventional bombs than were dropped in the entire Pacific War. The North was reduced to nothing more than a smouldering pile of rocks. 20% of the population was killed. Yet, 65 years later, it's still there, and still giving the US the finger.

In response to an unprovoked attack by North Korea on South Korea. The "US and Allies" were the United Nations Command involving 26 nations from all over the world.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

With all the US military hardware already in Japan, how are more weapons going to help?

Although I think a missile screening system is a far better decision than just outright militarization and preemptive wars - I think the real answer to your question is 'because some fat businessmen stand to greatly profit from it.' Hence all the fear mongering.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japan is buying the Lockheed Martin F-35, the Bell Boeing Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft and the Northrop Grumman Global Hawk drone.

F-35 ($94m each)are a waste of money, and against Japanese constitution same as the crashing down Ospreys (over $73m each). GH Drones ($222m each) are also offensive, not self defense. The American sale will include American control of their use, as well as Japan pays maintainance, training and upgrades.

abes wife went shopping for pearls in Ginza, but Abe sold our pension to a traveling door-to-door salesman.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

So all this to-do with North Korea by Trump was solely for the purpose of selling more arms??? How typically Trump -- all he was thinking about was scoring points for himself with the American people (increasing the coffers, increasing jobs). Look at what Saudi Arabia did with the arms Trump sold THEM!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

In response to an unprovoked attack by North Korea on South Korea. The "US and Allies" were the United Nations Command involving 26 nations from all over the world.

And why was Korea divided in the first place ? that unprovoked attack was more on lines of eliminating that division. Fighting a army is one thing but using biological and chemical weapons and wiping of 20% of the civilian population is genocide of nightmarish proportion, and that's the primary reason for the current situation.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I was interested what kind of surprises Trump would make this time. It was "Buy America's state of the art weapons to guard Japan from North Korea missiles." It is unlikely such a comment is made by President of United States in his official visit to other country. He further said why Japan did not shoot them down when the missiles flew over Japan. Trump thinks things very simply.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If Japan is buying/going to buy all this military equipment, why is the US military here? I thought they were here to defend Japan. Unkown to Trump, we do pay 70 to 80% of the cost of "hosting" the US military.

Maybe Trump is selling all this military equipment to Japan and South Korea so they can stand up on their own feet and protect themselves, and setting the stage so the U.S. can withdraw its forces out of South Korea, Okinawa and Japan. That's what you all want, right?

But don't be surprised to see China moving its military forces closer to Okinawa and Japan to fill the vacuum the U.S. leaves. But that's okay, since you all don't view China as a threat.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

F-35 ($94m each)are a waste of money, and against Japanese constitution same as the crashing down Ospreys (over $73m each). GH Drones ($222m each) are also offensive, not self defense.

Maybe Japan should buy its weapons from Russia or China instead?

The American sale will include American control of their use, as well as Japan pays maintainance, training and upgrades.

And you don't think Russia or China do the same to countries it sells to?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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