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© KYODOWith eye on 'if Trump wins' scenario, Japan weighs committing to its own defense
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78 Comments
PTownsend
X-45 the Floridian formerly known as the gross conman, has political beliefs more in line with those of Russia and China, i.e. he wants to be despot like Putin and Xi so he can rake in more money for himself from his country's wealth, and has frequently made verbal attacks on the USA. He has shown his disdain for democracy, for example leading a failed insurrection to overthrow an election that he clearly lost, and frequently makes disparaging comments about the US, its people and its systems. He wants back in office so he can punish his many enemies, not try to make America great. World beware the man who was seen as a global laughingstock wants to undo democracies everywhere. He's a serial fabulist, nothing he says can be trusted, except perhaps by his loyal cult members, a minority of Americans, a minority as shown by both popular and electoral election results.
Sanjinosebleed
Good idea Japan! Trump only cares about his hip pocket and would sell his soul to the highest bidder!
Gene Hennigh
If Trump wins I will weigh committing to my own defense.
yakyak
If Trump wins the election during the current state of the world NOW instead of when he was President four years ago, his administration would create a very nice alliance with Japan. It would be in the USA's best interest.
CS
Trump would be a great President for world peace.
otherworldly
The world was at peace four years ago, truth
Guy Gin and tonic
One of the most frightening things in the world right now is how so many Americans want 5 November 2024 to be 30 January 1933.
TaiwanIsNotChina
I'm sure someone said that about Neville Chamberlain. And he was doing it out of genuine belief rather than serving a foreign interest like Trump.
TaiwanIsNotChina
No, the US was in a tenuous agreement with the Taliban that wouldn't last and Hamas was probably preparing for 10/7.
Yrral
It ashamed that people let their insecurities follow them in the New Year
Yubaru
I would suggest that the only "challenge" facing Japan when dealing with Trump, IF they have to, is to see how fast they can print enough money to make it look like they are doing something to merit the alliance continuing.
Oh and make sure to throw in some sun tanning makeup from Shiseido!
First15
Can someone explain to me WHY the Japanese government doesn't consider the possibility of building up their military regardless of whoever is elected? Japan being military independent is more beneficial for everyone.
Fighto!
Abd then when Japan - rightly - massively re-arms to protect herself, people of your ilk will decry her for being a "warmonger", "imperialist" and so on.
If the US under Trump weakens the US-Japan alliance, Japan has no option but to engage in a very large build up of offensive and defensive weapons. Accept it, or disengage yourself entirely from Japan.
Yrral
First15, Japanese politician are psychological dependent on America,wonder why they are insecure of Trump , when the Democrat base inflicted psychological political rule on Trump
wallace
The cost of US overseas bases is only $25 billion out of a defense budget of $800 billion.
First15
How do you think us Americans feel? We're TIRED of being the world's police.
Redemption
I have no doubt Trump will win now after speaking to people in the US. One reason is that the democrats insist on putting forward Biden and he will not be coherent in a real time debate. Get ready. Hopefully virus #2 will not be coming.
quercetum
That’s about half of the total number of bases.
The question is execution. They can’t get it done. Former prime minister Yukio Hatoyama tried to move towards that. He hardly started before he was removed.
quercetum
They do return, to places like Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam and so on. The U.S. deposits a lot of seamen over seas.
dagon
If their is one thing I do not dislike about Trump and favor him over the neo-cons it is his consistent non-interventionism.
Of course this is balanced by his coddling of authoritarians, alienation of allies, and international bluster.
The opposite of "talk softly and carry a big stick".
bass4funk
Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer.
bass4funk
The last 4 years he didn’t, so we have a strong indication it’ll be the same.
Yrral
Keep your enemies under indictment
bass4funk
Good luck with that.
wallace
Trump is facing 91 criminal charges. They include 44 federal charges and 47 state charges, all of them felonies.
quercetum
And each charge gets him more votes. This is how they shoot themselves again and again. The anti-Trump of the U.S. clearly needs a brain.
deanzaZZR
If Trump is able to run he will win and there will be chaos at home and abroad. In addition to bolstering defenses Japan should also reengage earnestly with China as the two nations are neighbors and the two regional powers.
deanzaZZR
Until let's say Abe's time the US was always wary about Japan rearming and choosing the militant road one more time. Of course China and the two Koreas opposed Japan rearmament as well.
That fear is largely past now for a number of reasons.
bass4funk
We know, we all know already, the media pushes this every single day and throughout the day.
I agree.
First15
Majority of which there hasn't even been a trial for despite almost nine years of constant investigations.
Actually, it's quite the opposite. Every new accusation only drive the wedge in further and increases the hostilities in play. Everyone who's a Progressive accuses Trump of being guilty because "Why else" would the government investigate him in the first place, meanwhile everyone who defends him is branded as a racist Nazi because "How dare you" disagree with the government (With some are official adapting the label because being labelled as a "racist Nazi" has lost all meaning).
Lindsay
Trump is like a pimple. The more attention it gets the bigger it gets. However, if you ignore it, it will go away by itself.
First15
That was because of the vets and boomers still sore about Pearl Harbor. These days, the only people banging the "Anti-Japanese" drum are a minority consisting almost entirely of so-called "Internet intellectuals", with everything from your average video game journalist to ecelebs like Razorfist.
However, from what I understand, the entire mindset of Japan being a military powerhouse was started because of the Meiji Restoration, with Japan trying to play "catch-up" with the Western world.
Jimizo
According to the stolen election crowd, the anti-Trump crowd stole the election and got away with it.
Sounds like a big brain to me. Fiendish, but definitely a lot of horse power upstairs.
mrtinjp
Japan could be forced to deal with a militarily emboldened China and North Korea..
When he returns it will be the exact opposite, no country anywhere will be militarily emboldened ...
TaiwanIsNotChina
Yeah, that doesn't mean you keep your enemies in the oval office with you, and Trump has never demonstrated self control beyond five seconds, which is what a smart foreign policy would require.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Why? Trump will complete the US surrender in Ukraine, fully demonstrating he and his supporters have no staying power.
kurisupisu
Kotani seems to have a simple view of the world.
Arguably ex-president Trump did more for peace in Asia than any other President before him.
Biden is asleep at the wheel and Trump needs to get the USA back on course !
TaiwanIsNotChina
There is going to be a lot less peace in Asia if Trump triggers Taiwan Go Time from China.
bass4funk
So that explains Dems running for the hills from Biden…
Good?
You mean, to be controlled by his staff, hate to tell you this, but no one elected them to anything.
That’s fine by me.
Clayton K. Char
"In a departure from Trump's first administration which ran from 2017 to 2021 and had "decent" people who saw a need to strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance and U.S. defense posture in the Indo-Pacific region, Kotani believes "we would see weakening U.S. commitment to defending" Japan in a second term."
The "decent" people were leftovers from the Obama administration who were disloyal to Trump and had their own agenda.
WWII ended in 1945 and the occupation of Japan ended in April 28, 1952. The year is now 2023, why do we still have U.S. military stationed in Japan? Isn't it time that our allies defend their own countries.
Gabriel Sheffield
trump was an embarrassment who was literally laughed at by world leaders. We did not have peace during his term in office and our reputation as severely damaged. He had zero accomplishments except for negotiating with terrorists and ballooning our debt. Only the uneducated, bigots, and xenophobes support trump. He is not popular with our military. America fired him and he tried to overthrow our democracy. Now he's facing multiple state and federal indictments. Americans will not suffer him again. That said, Japan should invest heavily in its own military. Japan can absolutely have a strong military and still be one of the beautiful, peaceful people on the planet. Russia and China fear a strong Japan.
Blacklabel
Trump 2024!
oh wait, it’s 2024 now.
tick tock.
quercetum
It’s a win-win-win for both governments and young people who need a bit of time to sort out their goals in life or don’t have the resources to go the standard route. And there’s been no war involving Japan.
That said most Japanese I know would prefer to have their own military, like a normal sovereign nation. To be forbidden to have your own military is likened to being castrated. Japan is flaccid and has no power.
Peter14
This shows that close US allies have little to no faith in a Trump led America. I cant fault Japan for that sensible assessment. Trump is as much a loose nutjob as Kim from NK.
It is not about siding with Democrats or any dislike of Republicans, it is all about Trump being an idiot and sympathizer of dictators who he admires and wants to become like, himself.
Trump is an enemy of the free world as much as Putin, Xi and Kim are, only he has the power as President of the USA to destroy the alliances that have kept the world from a third world conflict, and to destroy US democracy.
Any American who values free speech and getting to vote in democratic elections with peaceful handover of power between parties, is kidding themselves if they vote for Trump. Trump will make America subservient again. Not to England, but to Russia and through them, to China.
First15
IIRC, there's also the problem of the peace treaty Japan signed restricting them from being able form an army for any purposes except "self-defense".
What major conflicts started under Trump?
You want me to post the college educated Asians and gays supporting Trump? Or do they not count because they a "Diverse/Gay person who doesn't want to be a Diverse/Gay voice"?
So?
Yes, in the "most secure election in the history" that was so secure that questioning it even partial brands you a conspiracy theorists (But not when you question the 2016 results). And tried to "overthrow" the government by telling people to calm down and go home.
Which he has never been charged, tried, nor convicted for.
Who "suffered" from 2017-2020? Everything I can think of is only in relation to the lockdowns, something which every member of the government was in favor of.
OssanAmerica
Trump is not only a clear and present danger to the United States but to the entire free world as we know it.
bass4funk
Yeah, but they didn’t laugh in his face and what made him resonate so much was he wasn’t a globalist. All the more reasons his popularity continues to soar.
Name me one war that he had under Trump. What chaos geopolitically did we have during his administration?
280 to be exact. Documented, indisputable and irrefutable.
And look what Biden is doing and 2024 just started…
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/poll-17-of-black-americans-support-donald-trump-up-9-points-from-2020/ar-AA1ltjgU
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/hispanic-support-trump-raises-red-flag-biden-2023-12-16/
A lot of bigots
Beg to differ
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/30/us-afghanistan-war-military-pullout-report-biden-trump
No, he didn’t, if he did, he would have been in prison, that’s why he wasn’t charged, for the riot.
So judging by the polls, it seems they are deciding who they are suffering under.
It can, but definitely not with the combined help of the United States, we know it, they know it.
FizzBit
LOL
This worked wonders last time. Trump served 4 years and nothing changed much, except no wars or proxy wars.
It’ll probably work on a few of the syndrome folks but not nearly as many especially those who don’t like war.
quercetum
Is Vivek uneducated?
The U.S. needs an authoritarian instead of a much of directionless puppeteers. It is the way to go.
Simon Foston
First15
Today 08:47 am JST
Tell your politicians and corporate CEOs that.
quercetum
Today 11:11 am JST
They've got their own military, it's very well funded and equipped, and they plan to spend even more money on it. They're just restricted in terms of what they can do with it.
u_s__reamer
If Trump wins, which I doubt unless my vain hope that G-Joe may be absent, away in the Hague, happens - lol!) he'll have another "first" - the first Potus to serve from a prison suite, or more likely, from White House Arrest. He may even get a day release to attend his inauguration. Would be wild! That's a fantastical future scenario, but the Japanese government folks must be having nightmares about a rerun of Trump's reality show.
rocketpig
Better a white dictatorship than a multi racial democracy. Bring back Trump
First15
We do and they don't care. I could tell you why, if you're at all curious.
bass4funk
That’s the lefts and establishment endeavors.
That won’t happen.
Not in a Million years
Yeah, that would make for a good NBC televised 2 season drama.
Blacklabel
Trump is winning, Japan might as well start preparing for it and be at the front of the line to congratulate him.
EvilBuddha
Kotani pointed out the possibility that Trump could even be willing to use Taiwan as a bargaining chip in a "deal" with China
A really questionable and biased assessment considering that the Trump administration increased weapons sales to Taiwan and ordered the US Navy to sail through the Taiwan straits more times than any other US President.
https://www.csis.org/blogs/new-perspectives-asia/how-biden-building-trumps-legacy-taiwan
Trump was tougher on China than any previous US President. Not like the Biden administration which has managed to push China and Russia together, and is now sending the US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to China to signal that it's looking for a detente.
Trump wants American allies to take primary responsibility for their own defense instead of free riding on the US. Becoming self reliant should be a good thing, but of course many nations want to continue being free riders and the US liberal left is taking their side over the interests of their own nation.
Simon Foston
First15Today 11:17 am JST
But no one questions the 2016 results. Compare what Hilary Clinton did with the stink Donald Trump kicked up in 2020.
quercetum
Are you implying then their military is insufficient and there is still a need for the US military in Japan?
Simon Foston
quercetumToday 12:52 pm JST
I'm not sure how you could infer that from what I said about it being well funded and equipped.
Raw Beer
Japan should commit to its own defense and rely less on the US, regardless who wins the next election. Recent events have demonstrated that the US cannot be relied upon for defense. The US uses its "friends" to carry out proxy wars.
No thanks, Japan should think about its own defense and strengthen relations that benefit Japan, rather than following the current downward path dictated by the US.
bass4funk
If Japan were to stop following the U.S. that would benefit China and Japan alone is no match for China, it definitely needs America
JJE
It's the economy Stupid.
People want a better way of life. The four years of the Biden experiment and "Bidenomics" didn't pan out.
Over the hill inflation, 4 bucks a gallon, higher taxes, sky rocketing food and cost of living prices. Don't mention the open border.
It's time for change.
Raw Beer
If Japan continues to follow the US, it will be involved in a proxy war against China and will end up destroyed just like Ukraine.
There is no need for Japan to fight against China, that will only profit the US elite.
bass4funk
That has nothing to do with the U.S. in the sense that Taiwan is a sovereign nation and the US and Japan will uphold that sovereignty. So it’s up to China what it wants to do.
Probably.
If China doesn’t invade Taiwan, then no need for concern about a Pacific conflict.
On both sides.
First15
Is Hillary Clinton now "no one": https://archive.ph/H4Bhz
Started an entire media narrative that the only reason why Trump won was due to "Russia collusion", that has sparked innumerable investigations across every branch and level of the government (Some of which are still ongoing)?
Bring lawsuits to the courts for the purposes of verifying the results of the election (As that's the only way to recount and verify election results that seem questionable)?
Newgirlintown
Yay, a twice impeached convicted rapist who is also a pathological liar, a climate change denier, a man who suggested injecting bleach as a cure for COVID, and a racist to boot. What’s not to love?!
First15
You say that like a conflict with West Taiwan (A Communist country who's constantly invading the territorial geography and waters of it's neighbors) can be avoided.
bass4funk
Think about that, even with all of these fruitless allegations, personal attacks and selected hit pieces, his popularity didn’t falter.
Not even close.
Hmmm…
Mark
I changed my mind and I am going to vote for Mr. Trump not that I agree with many of his policies but to tell Mr. Biden I had enough of WAR TALK and WAR AID, the world need PEACE and not wars, people are being killed in Gaza and Ukraine daily on Mr. Biden watch.
Mark
Trump for 2024.
nik
So does Japan pursue its own policy or is it still dictated by America how to behave? Elections in America, but why is there “panic” in Japan? )))
Simon Foston
First15Today 01:32 pm JST
She didn't incite a mob to run riot in Congress.
All a massive waste of time. Anything else you might be overlooking?
JJE
Trump was the only modern president to not start wars - he also ended the disastrous 20 year war against Afghanistan.
Biden (actually the neo-cons/libs in the shadows) have managed to bungle up entire regions and ratchet up tensions.
Maybe there could be an intense hearing in Senate room 216 (Hart building) where the issues can be fleshed out. Put it on video tape. The Senior Senator of MA and his staff are known for their advocacy in those quarters.