Trump-Kim rift over nuclear weapons underlines threat to Japan

Trump pushed Kim to scrap more of North Korea's nuclear facilities and programs including undeclared ones, in addition to the Yongbyon nuclear complex he offered to dismantle in a bid to win full sanctions relief

Iran scrapped its nuclear program and remains in full compliance, yet Trump ripped up the agreement. Such negotiations under a president - and now, a country - with this history are unreliable. An agreement with Kim was a longshot to begin with, but Trump's actions have only worsened it.

I wish Japan and the US would stop war mongering, North Korea isn't a threat, just using North Korea as an excuse to ramp up US arm sales and for the US to keep a military presence here in the Far East. Best scenario is accept North Korea as a nuclear state, and reach a multi national agreement to monitor North Korea like the agreement with Iran, regarding Iran the agreement is working even with the US pullout . Sanctions are a criminal act , trying to force the US agenda on the countries it has placed sanctions against. Personally I would like to see multi national inspections on all nuclear states plus those countries capable of producing nuclear weapons. I don't think Israel would agree to inspections, but if sanctions were placed on Israel we might see more transparency and maybe a peace deal and the scrapping of Israel inhumane apartheid policy against the Palestinians. Sanctions should only be used if any country has broken any of the many UN agreements, and should only be used with a majority vote in the UN and sanctioned by the UN, and not just by the US or the EU just because they don't like a countries political system.

Just as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's second meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump has exposed his unwillingness to completely give up his country's weapons and production capabilities

That seems a rather biased statement, you might just as easily say"

Just as U.S. President Donal Trump's second meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has exposed his unwillingness to completely give up his country's sanctions.

Japan must do three things;

1) Spend 2% of GDP on defense.

2) Gain first strike abilities.

3) Stop caring about the what the Koreans and Chinese think. They are the enemy.

Japan has the impotent bystander role down pat but the US has moved far beyond wanting to be humoured by lapdog fealty. It’s high time Japan transitioned away from its broken record harping on about the abductees and assiduous avoidance of doing anything practical that might, shock horror......... cause disharmony. A nuclear armed pariah state on its doorstep that periodically shoots potential WMDs over Japanese soil is a clear and present danger that demands hard choices such as targeting the resident North Korean diaspora and their well connected relatives in NK. Restricting operating hours and extending financial oversight of the pachinko industry is a no brainer first step in the direction of a greater realism.

Uuh, what is the rift?

alwaysspeakingwisdomToday 05:26 pm JST

Japan must do three things;

1) Spend 2% of GDP on defense.

2) Gain first strike abilities.

3) Stop caring about the what the Koreans and Chinese think. They are the enemy.

What, three things to end up like it did in 1945?

alwaysspeakingwisdomToday 05:26 pm JST

Japan must do three things;

1) Spend 2% of GDP on defense.

2) Gain first strike abilities.

3) Stop caring about the what the Koreans and Chinese think. They are the enemy.

Let me add some

4) Gain own nuclear deterrent

5) Legally and substantially break Chongryon into unreproducable pieces

6)Abolish SPR for Korean residents

K.J. is not a fool, the former lawyer of Donald Trump has said the POTUS is a : Racist,ConMan & a Cheat!

Mr Cohen said if anyone blindly follow Donald Trump will doomed the same like him! This is a very clear message to K.J: If you sign any peace treaty with Donald Trump and get rid the North Korean nuclear weapons, you and the nation of North Korea will doomed!  This is definately not a coincidence !

Cap of 1% of GDP is much smaller than the other major countries, which should be removed.

Russia 4.3%, US 3.1%, SK 2.6%, India 2.5%, France 2.3%, China 1.9%, UK. 1.8%, Germany 1.2%, JP 0.9%.

2) Gain first strike abilities.

No thanks, I'm not willing for the region to be plunged into a nuclear holocaust. Are you prepared and willing for such a catastrophe?

3) Stop caring about the what the Koreans and Chinese think. They are the enemy.

Sure, if that narrative is repeatedly pushed, one might as well say the US is the enemy.

Those pushing for conflict are usually thousands of miles away from the rest of us, the millions, who could perish.

It's naive , stupid even, for someone to think KJU will give up his Nukes. Something that they have shed blood , sweat and tears for THREE generations and soon as they achieve it ? Pshhhh!!!! Get rid of it. Who'll be that stupid ?

They pegged their own survival on this , just like China's Mao Zedong did. Get nukes then negotiate with the US, North Korea took the same strategy and more so KJU has seen himself vivid examples of Iraq , Syria, and Libya . He'll talk every thing else but destroying their inter-generational ambition ?? FORGET IT !!!

One thing I learned when I lived in China...willingness to walk away from a deal was a sign of strength, which brought the other side back with an acceptable offer. North Korea respects this in Trump and they will soon be in renegotiations with the U.S. Trump knows what he is doing...unlike the previous president.

Why is it OK for the US to have nuclear weapons and North Korea not?

Both countries are just as unstable and both have insane leaders.

If North Korea was shooting missiles over your city/state you would definitely understand the danger/threat. Especially if those missiles are combine with Nukes like Kim promised he would.

Acquiring the Aegis Ashore is money down the drain. The exorbitantly pricy defense system will not be an effective deterrent against North Korean nuclear threat. Why doesn’t anyone say the obvious solution—-a nuclear armed Japan.

@AlwaysSpeakingWisdom

1) Spend 2% of GDP on defense.

No can do. Japan has already reached its limit on debt borrowing ability.

2) Gain first strike abilities.

Against the Article 9.

3) Stop caring about the what the Koreans and Chinese think. They are the enemy.

Japan already doesn't care.

@Meiyouwenti

Why doesn’t anyone say the obvious solution—-a nuclear armed Japan.

Is Japan ready to withstand the North Korean style UN sanctions?

I can't imagine ordinary Japanese walking the "Arduous March" for the sake of Nuclear Weapons.

@Therese Rose

One thing I learned when I lived in China...willingness to walk away from a deal was a sign of strength

North Korea isn't China. Completely different cultures, polar opposites in fact.

@Samit Basu

Bothers you so much if Japan has a normal military like the rest of the world. Even when being threatened with Nuclear destruction by the North. Missiles shot over Japan. Does reality matter to you?

Germany started 2 world wars, holocaust and genocide on a industrial scale, yet they can have a normal military with no restrictions. Double standard? Yes we are. Just like all your comments towards Japan.

.

It's unfortunate Japan is sandwiched between these conflicting powers.

However one cannot make a pact with the devil.

,

Bertiewooster:

While the US has checks and balances on most things, it does not on military, particularly nuke strikes. Congress does not have to approve before president presses the red button, plunging world into nuclear war. So yes, in the case of nukes, both rely on supreme leader only.

@AlexBecu

Bothers you so much if Japan has a normal military like the rest of the world.

It doesn't bother me, I am just stating the cold hard reality.

Japan can't afford the military expansion under current debt level. Japan's defense budget is already growing at the slowest rate of three regional powers, China's 10% vs Korea's 8.5% vs Japan's 1.9%. The Bank of Japan can't continue to buy Japanese government bonds, and this is why Abe san is trying to raise the sales tax to 10% even against the threat of a recession.

This is why Chinese and Korean stealth fighters are rolling out in the next two years, while Japan has abandoned its own stealth fighter program. Why? financially healthier China and Korea can afford home made stealth fighters, Japan can't afford it.

Germany started 2 world wars, holocaust and genocide on a industrial scale, yet they can have a normal military with no restrictions. Double standard?

Because Germany's neighbors and even Israel are absolutely sure that Germany won't revert back to Nazi Germany in a country where praising Hitler is a crime and children are taught of the brutalities of Nazi crimes in most vivid details, and Merkel says Germany is forever responsible for Nazi crimes against humanity.

Compare this to Japan, where Abe san is actively imposing a general amnesia on the war crimes of Imperial Japan on Japan's next generation, Tojo Hideki and his 13 fellow A-class war-criminals are not criminals under Japan's law.

Pray for peace

Jeffrey Hornung, a political scientist at the Rand Corporation, a U.S. research organization, recommends Japan gain what is also known as "counterattack capability" to undertake retaliatory strikes against an opponent's missile facilities and supporting infrastructure as opposed to first-strike capability

I thought the US is going to protect Japan? At least that’s what many Japanese think they’re getting, full protection.

"With a demonstrated nuclear capability, as well as an unknown arsenal of other weapons of mass destruction, Japan fears that any onset of provocations on the (Korean) peninsula could lead to destruction in Japan on a level not seen since August 1945,"

That’s why Japan needs to settle it’s past history despite how unreasonably South Korea is or may seem. Why won’t you take care of the past Japan? South Korea is too difficult for you? Do what you need to do.

Citing the need to beef up Japan's defense in response to North Korea's threat and other regional challenges such as China's military buildup, Hornung and Green suggested that Japan remove the defense spending cap altogether.

So we can sell you more of our goods. Poor Japan. It may not have a choice.

@Laguna - Iran scrapped its nuclear program and remains in full compliance, yet Trump ripped up the agreement. Such negotiations under a president - and now, a country - with this history are unreliable. An agreement with Kim was a longshot to begin with, but Trump's actions have only worsened it.

Exactly add to this what USA and Japan did to Korea I'd never trust either of them I urge Kim to never relinquish his nuclear arsenal.

AlexBecu:

“Germany started 2 world wars”

Where did you learn your history? On the back of a Cornflakes box?

Any respectable historian would quickly disavow you of your facile claims.

@macv

Exactly add to this what USA and Japan did to Korea I'd never trust either of them I urge Kim to never relinquish his nuclear arsenal.

From North Korean point of view, you don't care what China has done to Koreans for 2000 years at all?

In your opinion, what exactly does KJU want?

They both would find common language when talking about Swiss cheese or Oranges

but not TNT..