U.S. seeking TNT in Japan for Ukraine artillery shells, sources say

I was thinking about filling,a whistleblower complaint,that would open up a civil lawsuit,of Ukraine corrupt use of US in Ukraine ,if you are American,you can recover up too 1 third of all aid deemed corrupted use Google Ukraine Whistleblower Aid Lawsuit

For war-renouncing Japan, any procurement would test its willingness to court controversy to help Kyiv because export rules ban Japanese companies from selling lethal items overseas

Sweden is a neutral war-renouncing country, that is world no. 3 in weapons exports per capita. Why would it be wrong for Japan to sell weapons, when they are one of the biggest buyers in the world?

Well, historically, Japan and the US were/still are war mongering nations. They will, as they always do, find a loophole or create a loophole thru which to get the TNT to Ukraine so Zelenskyy can blow up invading Russian forces. It will be nice to see how Japan develops when it becomes 4/5 a 'normal country. It is not surprising the company is based in Hiroshima, where other war mongering G-7 countries met with surprise guest Zelenskyy. It was probably there that this logrolling, underhanded Machiavellian deal making went down. It's as if The Cold War re-booted because of Biden.

This Ukraine offensive should be investigated as a Russian Influence Corrupt Organization,

Is this not the global reality of Rainsford's main conflict... “The Most Dangerous Game” ?

The need to give no quarter.

The Government of Japan is forced into an impossible decision.

With the Government of China ever more threatening and the North Korean lunatic attempting to launching his "spy satellites"

Seems legit. /s

The U.S. wants to plug a Japanese company into a TNT supply chain to deliver explosives to U.S. army-owned munitions plants that would pack them into 155mm shell cases, the person added.

Europe can and must step forward.

Provide what is deemed necessary here.

Another turn of the ratchet towards WW3.

The U.S. seems to be encouraging Japan to cast off its post-war pacifist constitution and return right back to pre-war militarism and jingoism. 

No wonder that ultra-rightists and their ilk in Japan strongly support the U.S. for whatever it does toward Okinawa bases.  Take the Futenma relocation issue, for instance.

Washington’s establishment/policymakers behind them and Japan's ultra-rightists are all part of the same gang, I think.

For war-renouncing Japan, any procurement would test its willingness to court controversy to help Kyiv because export rules ban Japanese companies from selling lethal items overseas

Japan was looking to export submarines to Australia not long ago. How would that have happened if Japan is unable to sell lethal items overseas? Are Japanese submarines non lethal? Of course they are. I think they got around that little hurdle when they decided to sell submarines. Anything else could be sold in the same way that was going to happen.

Australia is supplying the TNT for France to mass manufacture 155mm rounds to go to Ukraine in a collaborative assistance package. France and Australia both manufacture 155mm rounds although Australia's production line is new and relatively small by comparison to France or the US.

Nothing wrong with Japan supporting the effort to keep Ukraine free and sovereign. I hope it goes ahead with this proposal.

Europe must step up to the plate and fully support Ukraine need.

The Government of Japan, its people. could/will have other military priories.

Japan is not a floating carrier/means to force, bounce, leverage, step by step to full miliary abutment at an undetermined consequence, as the political global narrative unveils.

Washington’s establishment/policymakers behind them and Japan's ultra-rightists are all part of the same gang, I think.

Have been for a long time.

Maybe they should call in AC/DC?

In the mean time, give then the TNT.

One of the lesser known aspects of Japan's post-war recovery was that it was a major supplier of the US military during the Korean War. So there is a history to support this action.

The US can only produce 85,000 shell a month,why would the US ever need domesticated use of artillery to defend the US,unless they would be used on the US population,which would never happen, artillery is useless in modern warfare,it just prolong the war,hand to hand combat show the real horror of war

As stated before, just because you live somewhere doesn’t make you “The Voice” of it.

Clearly you’ve never seen the Japanese bumper sticker supporting US Forces in Japan…written in Japanese

was thinking about filling,a whistleblower complaint,that would open up a civil lawsuit,of Ukraine corrupt use of US in Ukraine

Any other idiotic non-sequitors to share?

What?

U.S.A. buying TNT from Japan?

This is news!

Japan buying TNT from the U.S.A. ?

This is not news!

These shell cost about 400 dollars a piece,not like Excalibur 155 mm in Himars cost 125 K ,these Excalibur have been found to have frack and deemed unsafe ,these shell has a blast range of 100 meters or 300 ft , anyone in the impact zone life would be made a living hell, metal fragments riping through the body

YrralToday 06:11 pm JST

Peter14, Ukraine has not ever been a free society,not even compared to Cuba

Rubbish! It is Not the UK or America but it is not China or NK either. Since getting leadership not beholden to Russia it has been improving freedoms and the life of its people. They fight to stop from going backwards to being Russian controlled.

You champion Russia and its brutal regime that lacks democracy and freedoms that Ukraine has had since 2014. it takes time for big change and the process is started. The war has stopped some freedoms from the necessity of survival, but has speed-ed up other processes like digging out corruption. They are not up to Western European standards but are willing to do what is required to get there.

You want Ukraine to sink but many more want it to remain free from Russia. They are working to that end.

Nobody should be surprised, as conventional ordinance supply chains have been neglected for decades. Why?

Few anticipated WWI style attrition warfare at scale, taking place in Ukraine, once nearly 1% of Global GDP.

Nothing new. It wouldn't be the first time Japan has supplied ammunition.

Europe is far closer to home.

Look, this is not a matter for the EU commission, I have admittedly, on a number of occasions, huff puffed ,popped at the policy inertia.

It is in the hands of individual member states.

Japan is not responsible or incumbent for the war in Ukraine.

However, the Government of Japan is prepared or indicated support policy's that ultimately reach a diplomatic conclusion.

However, the Government of Japan is prepared or indicated support policy's that ultimately reach a diplomatic conclusion.

Bravo, let's opt for Diplomacy - NOT Insane Escalation and it's not gunpowder/conventional that worries most of us!

Clay, being honest I am suggesting a play on syntax/words.

The escalation, in respect of aggressive brutal conflict and struggle over 17 months could spiral into a global standoff.

Honesty, trust, could have become the ultimate casualty.

Where does that leave us all?

Bravo, let's opt for Diplomacy - NOT Insane Escalation

No. This war will be fought until Russia leaves. And if it doesn't leave, the war will continue.

But keep praying for Ukraine to surrender by pretending that you want diplomacy.

Clay, I have read every word, sentence you have commented on this site.

Could you honesty support this invasion?

The loss of lives, and yes atrocities, committed in the fog of war?

You agree this is a war?

Will the real Clay stand up politically, justify such loss of life and for what?

A U.S.-made Javelin anti-tank weapon system was just discovered to be in the hands of a Mexican drug cartel.

That's one of the weapon systems that the U.S. has flooded into Ukraine.

But no, let's not put two and two together there, right?

But we keep wanting to give them TNT and other weapons. This is ridiculous.

I'm certainly not with Putin here, but this is not our fight.

Ukraine should be able to defend itself. If it can't, and Russia seizes some territory from it where a majority of the people are ethnic Russians who want to be part of Russia anyway ... shouganai, as they say here in Japan.

Sorry Based

There is no what about justification.

What end game do you politically envisage?

Russia could absorb the ethnic Russians, with a diplomatic settlement?

Japanese TNT being used to murder foreigners ?

wow!

Need to ensure Ukraine's security and future prosperity,

When Russia withdraws and ends its attacks on Ukraine that can be achieved.

while not threatening Russia.

Ukraine never threatened Russia in any way. It did not have the means to. People are often afraid of things that just are not there. As a child I was briefly afraid of the dark thinking I was in danger when no danger actually existed. Russia and in particular Putin, seem to think they are in danger of attack but there is no danger.

Nobody in Europe has any desire to attack Russia and hasn't since the end of WWII. They worry about Russia attacking them. Now this conflict has come to pass where Russian forces flooded into Ukraine headed for Kyiv to effect regime change. Russia is afraid of Ukraine being aligned with the west, but why? they have no desire to invade or attack Russia, if they did it would have happened a year or two after the end of the Soviet Union when Russian armed forces were in tatters and broke. Instead the west helped Russia and Russia was given "special partner" status with NATO. Putin wanted to join NATO but Clinton denied it and Putin went from there to once again being an opponent of the West rather than a partner with it.

Putin puts fear of the unknown and paints it with NATO into the minds of its people to maintain control. There is nothing real behind the fear, like being scared of the dark as a child. No matter how much you reassure they refuse to believe. Taking irrational thinking to actions and ending in war.

Nobody but stateless terrorists are interested in attacking nuclear powers. Most nations simply want to be left in peace. But from time to time fear and irrational behavior will bring about conflict as it has in Ukraine. That and a desire to expand borders and make a name to go down in history in Putin's case.

Murder is the wrong word. It will be used to help Ukraine defend itself against an aggressive invader Putin/Russia that has killed more than 10,000 Ukrainian civilians.

Japanese TNT being used to murder foreigners ?

The shells it goes into will be used on Russians, not by Russians. You probably misread the article.

The TNT will be put to very good use and Japan should supply as much as they can for as long as they can.

Do you (plr) really think that iTNT will be only used for defense?

You are kidding yourselves

Ukraine has already struck 100s of miles into Russia using foreign supplied armaments.

It won’t be long before we get to meet in the afterlife….

Do you (plr) really think that iTNT will be only used for defense?

Yes.

Ukraine has already struck 100s of miles into Russia using foreign supplied armaments.

Aww, poor Russia. So what?

It won’t be long before we get to meet in the afterlife….

There is no afterlife. Perhaps you should re-evaluate your unbending support for an invasion if you you are in a spiritual mood.

More bombs needed to wipe out russian soldiers? I say go for it.

Japan becomes part of the supply line for weapons manufacturing and makes itself more vulnerable to problems with Russia . China and North Korea.

Japan shouldn't be drawn into appeasing aggressive, imperialist authoritarian neighbours.

You can safely do it on your keyboard, Japan can't.

Ukraine is fighting a war to defend its people and country. Putin has killed more than 10,000 Ukrainians. Putin has killed more than Osama Bin Laden did and that started a 20-year war.

If we cut off Ukraine at the knees then it will be on its arse.

Wallace, Russian have probably killed 5 times more Ukrainain,that you posted here and Putin will not be held accountable

If a mild conflict has stretched the US industry to the limits, how on earth could it sustain a full blown war with China?

War is expensive business. This why you need to be stockpiled like Russia did for the entire 20th century. I hope people are learning from this if nothing else.

Marc LoweJune 2 05:01 pm JST

Well, historically, Japan and the US were/still are war mongering nations. They will, as they always do, find a loophole or create a loophole thru which to get the TNT to Ukraine so Zelenskyy can blow up invading Russian forces.

So you admit there are mysterious invading forces but say Japan and the US should do nothing about it?

It's as if The Cold War re-booted because of Biden.

No, it rebooted because of a small man's plans for empire.

The US Military at the Top.....You just can't make this up

TNT has to come from somewhere. The US didn't crash its army against No. 40 in the military expenditure list with no survivors.

Seth MToday 01:03 am JST

If a mild conflict has stretched the US industry to the limits, how on earth could it sustain a full blown war with China?

Because the China war will be a naval exercise using other munitions that have already been manufactured? If China thinks we don't have F-35s and naval assets armed and ready, they are welcome to have a go. In a war with China, there will be tens of thousands of casualties in the first few days.

Is it not fascinating that people can find "loopholes" when they want to?

Export restrictions for dual-use products or equipment sold commercially are less stringent than for items with a purely military purpose,

I want to buy 100, 000 50 call bullets please, sorry Sir we cant supply you, what do you want them for any way?

paper weights,

Arrr well thats ok then Sir.

As soon as the Russians find out that the USA is running dry of TNT, they are going to up their game, also the propoganda machine will be in over drive.

I just Goggled Yrral and the source from there tells me that Yrrai is a salesman because he knows how many shells the US supposedly can produce and how much they cost!. Google also told me he is full of human waste.

YrralJune 2 06:21 pm JST

The US can only produce 85,000 shell a month,why would the US ever need domesticated use of artillery to defend the US,unless they would be used on the US population,which would never happen, artillery is useless in modern warfare,it just prolong the war,hand to hand combat show the real horror of war

YrralJune 2 06:47 pm JST

These shell cost about 400 dollars a piece,not like Excalibur 155 mm in Himars cost 125 K ,these Excalibur have been found to have frack and deemed unsafe ,these shell has a blast range of 100 meters or 300 ft , anyone in the impact zone life would be made a living hell, metal fragments riping through the body

As soon as the Russians find out that the USA is running dry of TNT, they are going to up their game, also the propoganda machine will be in over drive.

It's not exactly a secret that it is struggle to put enough ammo into invaders. Russia already "upped their game" by going to Iran and NK in desperation.

these shell has a blast range of 100 meters or 300 ft , anyone in the impact zone life would be made a living hell, metal fragments riping through the body

Kind of like Russia's thermobarics and dumping white phosphorus?

How does this escalation end then?

Russia won’t lose against Ukraine.

No matter how much ammunition Ukraine has it won’t make a difference

Ukraine is sending its men to die in its defense and there is a limit to how many men there are.

Sweden is a neutral war-renouncing country, that is world no. 3 in weapons exports per capita. Why would it be wrong for Japan to sell weapons, when they are one of the biggest buyers in the world?

Far from it actually. Japan's share of global arms imports is 2.2%. Saudi Arabia sucks up 11% of global arms imports and is the world's largest arms importer. Number two is India at 9.5% followed by Egypt at 5.8 %. Japan is down the list in position 12. Interestingly the US is in the number 13 spot importing 2.1% of global arms imports with the UK being the largest foreign arms source and UK is in position 14 also at 2.1% and it's largest foreign arms source is the US.

China is in the number 5 position importing 4.&% of the worlds arms exports.

https://ceoworld.biz/2021/06/12/these-are-the-worlds-biggest-importers-of-major-arms/

Is this for this year's spring counteroffensive, or the upcoming fall counteroffensive?

The US is setting up two new factories to produce 155mm artillery rounds not just for Ukraine but for a possible future war. The NATO allies are looking at ammunition expenditure in Ukraine and their ability to produce replacement rounds and decided they need much more capacity. Other NATO nations are adding production capacity to make artillery rounds too.

These shell cost about 400 dollars a piece,not like Excalibur 155 mm in Himars

Sigh. Another keyboard "expert". HIMARS doesn't fire the Excalibur round. HIMARS fires any of the several MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) rockets or the ATACMs ballistic missile.

Excalibur is an artillery shell fired from a normal field gun that has fins to increase its range and a guidance kit to improve accuracy. Some of the European howitzers with longer barrels are getting 50km or more range out of Excalibur compared to the 25 or so km of a normal 155mm shell fired from the same gun.

In addition there are Excalibur rounds sized to fit several popular naval guns in the 76 - 127 mm calibers.

he US can only produce 85,000 shell a month,why would the US ever need domesticated use of artillery to defend the US,unless they would be used on the US population,which would never happen, artillery is useless in modern warfare,it just prolong the war,hand to hand combat show the real horror of war

Currently no adversary has the ability to put their armed forces on North American shores in any appreciable size so the threat of a direct land war on the US and Canada is nil. However artillery would be vital to stop a Russian invasion of NATO, a Chinese invasion of Taiwan or a North Korean invasion of South Korea.

Because the China war will be a naval exercise using other munitions that have already been manufactured? If China thinks we don't have F-35s and naval assets armed and ready, they are welcome to have a go. In a war with China, there will be tens of thousands of casualties in the first few days.

Wars have this bad habit of lasting a lot longer than war planners expect. The US and her allies prevailed because the US, Canada and UK were able to outproduce Germany and Japan, neither of which had an industrial power as an ally (the Italian Parliament voted to join the Allies in August 1943 forcing Hitler to immediately invade Italy and try to destroy the Italian Navy as it fled to Malta.

It is an open question whether the US has enough arms on hand to defeat China in a war over Taiwan. Some analysts will say the US will run out of anti ship cruise missiles early in such a war and be unable to produce them rapidly enough to maintain a high operational tempo. I have not seen their analysis to know if I agree or disagree. I would be curious to see their assumptions about how many hits each ship requires to be sunk and how many missiles have to be fired in a salvo to get enough missiles on the ships in an enemy force to sink them accounting for missiles lost to AA fire, missiles missing or not finding targets and a few that fail on or shortly after launch.

Japan shouldn't be drawn into appeasing aggressive, imperialist authoritarian neighbours.

Doing nothing would be caving in to aggressive and imperialist Russia, and by extension showing weakness to China.

A U.S.-made Javelin anti-tank weapon system was just discovered to be in the hands of a Mexican drug cartel.

The weapon in the photo carried by the cartel member is not a Javelin. It is a Saab-Bofors AT4-CS light anti armor weapon used by the Mexican Army. They look sort of similar but the shapes at each end are different enough to be distinguishable.

https://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/detail.php?smallarms_id=133

It is an open question whether the US has enough arms on hand to defeat China in a war over Taiwan. Some analysts will say the US will run out of anti ship cruise missiles early in such a war and be unable to produce them rapidly enough to maintain a high operational tempo. I have not seen their analysis to know if I agree or disagree. I would be curious to see their assumptions about how many hits each ship requires to be sunk and how many missiles have to be fired in a salvo to get enough missiles on the ships in an enemy force to sink them accounting for missiles lost to AA fire, missiles missing or not finding targets and a few that fail on or shortly after launch.

That's why I say something needs to be available in such vast quantities that it gives the Chinese modified fishing boats pause. Maybe it is something like mines that can be launched from anything.

Russia won’t lose against Ukraine.

Russia is quite good at losing, including in military matters.

Personally i don't see a huge difference in the USA having close to a thousand military bases/lily pads around the world and imperialism.

That's because you cynically count a dock in the Philippines manned by a dockworker as a military base.

Iam very concerned the USA is rapidly turning Japan into a manufacturer of everything on the American agenda and for the Americans - ship building. Weaponry , weaponized robots , semiconductors , vaccines... etc etc etc.

Japan doesn't need money? I mean heck, everyone should want more business in everything as long as it doesn't pollute too bad.

And what makes you think the war against Russia will end if they leave Ukraine ???

Russia won't have any army left if it leaves Ukraine.

This war against Russia is larger than just whats happening in Ukraine.

Than you understand precisely why Russia has to be defeated in Ukraine. Explain your logic how surrender is better for the west. Perhaps you imagine some fictional plan to take over Russia. No, we'd like that pile to be under new leadership, but that is about it.

Brian WhewayToday  03:03 am JST

As soon as the Russians find out that the USA is running dry of TNT, they are going to up their game, also the propoganda machine will be in over drive

The USA is not "running dry of TNT". The additional requirement is for Ukraine support and separate from what is already stickpiled for it;s own defense and other contingencies, such as a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. The US and it;s allies have been furthering mutual supply arrangements to facilitate handling of shortages.

Russia has been "running out" of things for some time now, And as long as China is afraid to openly aid them, they will continue to deplete what they have,

Re: defeating the Chinese fishing fleet. Maybe some kind of stealth drone with night vision that can drop a present on them at night :-)

And Taiwan and the USA aren't good at losing ?

You haven't seen us in a symmetric war in 70 years. All those "losses" have served as training that Russia clearly doesn't have. Wakey wakey.

Why are we in Ukraine?

https://harpers.org/archive/2023/06/why-are-we-in-ukraine/

Even school children have guns

School children had guns in the late 1970s when I started driving school buses to pay for college. The district cops pulled a kid off my bus who was carrying a gun. This was a 7th grader btw circa 1978. I lost a couple of windows on that bus before that kid was arrested when some other gang shot two windows out, one directly behind my head, as we approached the first stop. Even earlier I saw kids bring their dad's guns to school when I was in elementary school for a secret playground show and tell. Not a good thing but not as new or novel as some would have you believe.

That's why I say something needs to be available in such vast quantities that it gives the Chinese modified fishing boats pause. Maybe it is something like mines that can be launched from anything.

I was talking about the efficacy of anti ship missiles against large displacement warships like big amphibs, aircraft carriers and even cruisers with tactical jet pilot. His take on the subject was interesting: "there won't be much for us to shoot at after the submarines get done with them". Hearing that from a jet pilot really rocked me back on my heels.

The USA is not "running dry of TNT". 

There is however a lack of capacity to manufacture the shell bodies.

https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/2023/03/28/us-army-eyes-six-fold-production-boost-of-155mm-shells-used-in-ukraine/

https://www.defensenews.com/video/2023/02/13/go-inside-the-plant-making-artillery-rounds-for-us-and-ukrainian-armies/

*Why would it be wrong for Japan to sell weapons, when they are one of the biggest buyers in the world?*

Exactly which weapons/arms does Japan buy from overseas?

If paying attention is difficult then why bother ?

You can stop with your nonsense anytime. Nobody believes the US has a thousand bases outside of its own territory.

70 years ?? Not true

Man ur history is aweful !

The Korean War ended in July 1953, almost exactly 70 years ago. Man your history is awful (as is your spelling).

So all those USA military lives lost in Vietnam and Syria ,Iraq etc etc etc was just really a training op ?

I didn't say it was only a training op. I said the US has gained experience from every war we have been in, including losses. Russia has gained nothing because it only picks on small countries and its ranks are filled with yes men.

And Russia wasn't involved in any of those ?

Not on the ground fighting, unless you count being pantsed by the US inadvertently in Syria.

Russia doesn't have war experience ?

Oh I'm sorry, please tell me the lessons learned from the Georgia war. I guess they did learn to war crime good in Chechnya.

The USA has always i repeat always been involved in wars then and now and most of which it lost miserably.

When Russia loses in Ukraine, it will be two losses on par with the US. And Vietnam and Afghanistan didn't have serious national security implications like losing Ukraine will have for Russia.

You probably think the Soviets didn't know anything either.

I know they were good at charging fixed positions.

Time to get educated

Waiting for it. Talk is cheap.

One can aid the democracy currently under attack by a dictatorship, or wait until they get around to attacking you personally. Your choice.

Exactly which weapons/arms does Japan buy from overseas?

Well for starters most of the world's armies use the Karl Gustav recoilless rifle. Even the US Army does. They seem to be ubiquitous. The JGSDF has a lot of German, Austrian, Belgian and American small arms (a lot are Japanese too), British, French and Austrian mortar systems, but if you look at their missiles systems aside from Stinger MANPADS the majority are Japanese designs built in Japan. Japan has always built its own unique tanks and the newest Type 10 is considered to be the first 5th Generation battle tank in existence with eye-watering advanced metallurgy to reduce weight without sacrificing protection. Artillery is a mix of Japanese and American systems including MLRS.

Aircraft is where you start to see more American designs but even the majority of these are license built in Japan. Some of that import number reflects sub systems purchased by Japanese arms manufacturers from the same US based subcontractor base that supplies the same items to their US OEM. Example, Boeing buys about 80% of the content of what it builds from outside subcontractors. If Mitsubishi or Kawasaki is making a license built copy of a US combat jet or helicopter they will buy some components from these same subcontractors for assembly in Japan.

And interestingly there are some in the US now floating the idea of having Japan and perhaps also South Korea build warships for the US Navy since both nations, but especially Japan, seem to be able to build the necessary high quality and identical technology warships for half the price or less of a US yard and build them much faster without the cost over runs typical of US contracts. Some of you are always running Japan down unable to see the good in the country and in its industries.

I too recently read an article floating the idea of trying to buy frigates and destroyers from Japan and South Korea for the US Navy. Aside from the cost differences, the US does not have the manufacturing capacity to match China's ship building program, but Japan, SK and the US together can match China, at least for awhile.

Aside from the cost differences, the US does not have the manufacturing capacity to match China's ship building program, 

One thing I will say is, having seen the JMSDF and PLAN up close and personal, part of the reason China can punch out warships cheaply and rapidly is they build them like their merchant ships. They would never pass muster with the US Navy or JMSDF. Without going into detail the lack the kinds of survivability features required in US and Japanese warships. Even European warships do not come up to US and Japanese naval standards. The Franco-Italian FREMM design required another 300 tons of steel in the hull to meet us survivability standards. I don't want to go into detail here but the crew of a Chinese warship won't have a lot of options other than abandon ship after taking hits.

I rolled my eyes watching a video tour of their new aircraft carrier on a visit to Hong Kong. The doors inside had cypher locks that required an ID card to be scanned for entry. Ok for a land sight but how about when the power is out and a damage control crew has to get past that door to fight a fire or control flooding in the compartment(s) behind that door? Not to mention all the fancy false overheads with flush lighting like a nice office. All that has to be chopped away with a fire axe to get at the burning wires or leaking pipes that false ceiling hides. You never see that on a US or Japanese warship.

The US government has no money for its own citizens, but endless money to finance its war in Eastern Europe.

The US government has no money for its own citizens, but endless money to finance its war in Eastern Europe.

Still Putin's War.

@Desert Tortoise

I know you’re the expert, and I won’t debate your facts. I meant “purely” foreign arms. Not built by Mineba, Howa, Mitsubishi, IHI, Sumitomo Heavy, Kawasaki, Mitsui SB, etc under license.

This war against Russia is larger than just whats happening in Ukraine.

JB - There is no US war with Russia, but if there is any danger of one, surely you can understand why we should ramp up production, right?

OssanAmerica (June 2 07:11 pm JST),

Nothing new. It wouldn't be the first time Japan has supplied ammunition

There's a bilateral agreement between Tokyo and Washington to the effect that Japan must shoulder transportation costs for USFJ troops to relocate from their bases to artillery training areas, for example, Okinawa-deployed Marines going to SDF's Fuji Maneuvering Ground or Great Hokkaido Training Centers, for artillery training.

In such maneuvering, the U.S. Marines must use live ammunition. How many shells they use I don't know, but the cost for shells must be skyrocketing.　Your post above seems to suggest that Japanese taxpayers are also shouldering ammunition costs for the Marines’ artillery training on mainland Japan.  May I take it at face value?