Islamic State threat could stiffen Abe's stance on security

Islamic State threat could stiffen Abe's stance on security

What a shock!

Stating the bleeding obvious.

Like its staunch ally America,Japan too could soon be trying 'regime change' in the guise of protecting its citizens....

This will be used as an excuse for Abe to hand lucrative "defence" contracts to his corporate buddies with our tax money. If anything, the defence industry should be paying the ransom for these two guys as they will profit from the hostage incident.

I don't think this will make one bit of difference to Japan's security policy. Nothing changed after the 10 Japanese hostages were killed in that Algerian siege.

Abe had already outlined his policy on the right to collective self-defense last summer, before this hostage situation occurred.

Japan lacks global reach, so whatever changes occur, if any, will be regional, and nothing drastic.

Abe has made clear he would like to go further by eventually revising the charter itself, a politically tougher step.

Well then this tragidy will play right into Abe's hands.

It's worked out perfectly for Abe and his right-wing cronies, hasn't it? Well played Abe! Now, you have the ammo to support your guns.

Of course Abe will seize on this as an opportunity to push his agenda. The two hostages will become "martyrs for his cause"

That would just play into the baddies hands and increase the threat of attack in Japan itself.....

The hostages are casualties of terrorism. To delineate their fate in a attempt to politically recategorize the government stance on security is shameful. Local geopolitical policy has no relevance, there us no political points scoring to be made from these tragic events, we must face the facts these poor men are about to pay with there lives in a horrendous execution.

Given that it's his stance that has brought about the current crisis, this is a boon for him, literally. Those who deny that fact have their head in the sand. He gets to look like a 'strong leader' for first making deals with Israel (likely on arms), pledge money to fight IS (Suga is now saying it was not for that purpose!), and now can use this crisis to say "this is why Japan needs to defend itself" while conveniently not addressing the fact that they WOULDN'T need to if he had not declared his intention to fight the group and join the war on terror. After this, when he unilaterally changes the Constitution after failing to 'force -- I mean CONVINCE people to understand' and Japanese here and abroad are further targeted, and Japan's first troops die overseas since WWII, he can say it's not his fault but is the reason why they need to be there. He's the chicken laying the eggs and telling them they came first.

If ISIL publicly execute the hostages, the government of Japan must triple the $200 million aid, however this must be upgraded to leathal aid. It is time to take a equivalicaly stance against jihadists that activity hold a country and its people to ransom.

Islamic State threat could stiffen Abe's stance on security

Oh really, in which regard exactly?

Will Abe send a bunch of amateur Japanese soldiers with absolutely no experience with the type of war that is going on in Syria and Irak to fight the barbarians of the Islamic State? No of course, no way. Let's be serious a moment, they will be eaten alive there.

No, Abe has only his mouth with him and the only "stiffen stance" on security will be less freedom to the Japanese population for the sake of "protecting" them in a country already relatively oppressive.

That change, a reinterpretation of the pacifist constitution that must now be passed into law, was the most dramatic policy shift since Japan set up its post-war armed forces 60 years ago. Abe has made clear he would like to go further by eventually revising the charter itself, a politically tougher step.

This is a win-win for Abe though at the price of two Japanese lives. Abe looks like a strong leader who doesn't flinch when faced with a terrorist threat with the added benefit of getting the ball rolling on his life-long ambition of establishing a new constitution.

Hate to say it but as many of us have already pointed out, Abe is drawing us down a path of his choosing. He went over to the Middle East, stood next to BiBi and pledged his support to fight terrorism knowing full well that two Japanese were being held by IS. Anyone with half a brain could have predicted that that might lead IS to take punitive actions against Japan and jeopardize the lives of those two captives. He has chosen not to pay the ransom, which is really the wise choice, but ultimately means the two are condemned to die. However, they put themselves in harms way and have no-one else to blame.

Well played Commander-in-Chief Abe!

Stop, just stop. Abe is a strong nationalist, he wants to ratify the pacifist constitution and has been very blunt with his wanting a stronger military.

And I hate Abe.

But, please don't think Abe is somewhere inside him a little happy this happened and this fell into his lap or into his hands. I believe he strongly dislikes the Koreas and China, his thousand year enemies, but you can't say he would've wanted his countrymen taken hostage, and killed for some political gain. He's not an animal or Gaddafi style dictator.

If you're going to attack Abe, attack him for what you know is true and what he's done. You can't attack him based on the conspiracy theories posed by reporters or bloggers.

What this threat shows and should mean to every country's leader is no matter what your stance is on the situation in the middle east, IS is not afraid of you because the free world has so far shown they don't want to get involved no matter how brutal the images are.

Abe's $ 200 million talks, are humanitalian aid for Syrian people whose livings have been desrtoyed. Japan and Syrian Govt does not have diplomatic ties. So the money is not one time payment to Syrian Govt. Not in one time. But ISIS want ramp sum within 72 hours. Read Q & R in JT crime board to comprehend background of ransom history ane what these two are Japanese Govt is not negotiating with ISIS. They are talking with local powerful people. Smarter than Russian effiort.

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No political party or leadership is responsible for the gravity of the current situation, an entire country is being held to ransom. To late to run and hide and hope the enemy will be merciful and release the hostages, deep down to pay the ransom would be to capitulate in act of cowardice on the global stage. There is a overwhelming acceptance to blame or find a platform for Abe to gain geopolitical advantage which is ludicrous. The Government is between a rock and a hard place and to secure the hostages release would be seen to pander to terrorism. The strongest response is the only acceptable action that will send out the clearest message. Japan will not surrender to terrorism.

What about Mr Abe ruquest them like Please do not kill them for the sake of ALlAH!!

There is no reasoning with fanatics and that's what ISIS is, fanatics! These two Japanese citizens are as good as dead and their deaths should be a warning to every Japanese here and abroad, you can't trust or deal with fanatics.

Japan has sat on the sidelines for too long, time for them to join the rest of the world and do what has to be done!

ISIS and their Islamist fanatics are a threat that needs to be taken seriously. If nations continues to think that they can reason with these maniacs and their Western supports they are sadly mistaken. The only thing these fanatics and their Western supporters understand is violence. Time to let slip the dogs of war and end these maniacs and their Western supporters.

If people are caught supporting them those people should be either be deported or jailed no ifs, ands, whats or rights! They want Shariah law then send them to nations that have it! Give their supporters the big fat boot before they have a chance to do anything!

Burning BushJan. 22, 2015 - 03:10PM JST Lucky Abe, This interestingly timed (and dubious) video fell right into his lap.

Dubious? Really? Are you so lost in your own mire that you haven't seen the world for what it is today? Let me guess, you think that this is all smoke and mirrors. ISIS isn't committing all these horrible crimes against humanity and it's a ploy to blame Islamic fanatics?!

Conspiracy theories are always filled with absolute nonsense......

The Left continues to blame the victims of terrorism for what those terrorist did to them while defending and hugging the terrorists and calling them victims.

I just hope that you leftist would go to Syria or Iraq and try to hug those ISIS scum. Maybe then you would see the error of your ways!

Leftists have flawed brains!

@harvey pekar

Again, one of precious sane minds who can observe an event without bias and think rationally.

These comment section of ISIS-Abe threads on JT is the reason why majority of people choose LDP over DPJ. It is not because LDP is awesome and cool. It is that DPJ tries so hard to get in the way of LDP with childish claims (Aso's misuse of kanji, Abe's curry) and irrational arguments just to have arguments (usually backfire them) and people know that.

Abe did not plan this. There's no room for conspiracy. Abe is not gaining more votes by this tragedy. Quite the opposite.

It is interesting as the deadline is coming up tomorrow-it will be a strong indication of Abe's political thinking to see how this plays out.....

There is nothing hypothetical about the threat. Either abe pays or they get their throats cut, period. Anyone who thinks isis is bluffing is in dreamland.

when abe visit the three countries Bibi with abe pictire was in ynetnews FB

but the problem is do japan really care about fighting those countries ,or as the common people always say let them sort it out , the problem is japan came for a mutual trade , if japan declares islam as an enemy means all ME visitors should get out and let the ignorant arab sort out their fighting ,

ofcourse EU should have no sympathies for the brutal consequences they receive to the limit of catharsis of feeling like chinese truck hitting a toddler and bystanders were many , European should be either bystander or with the asian countries war on islamic terrorism

while arab people use their double-talk to deny the brutality of the cult and beautify islam they can't deny the existence of their prophecy so the choice is either u is with them or against them and lose the mutual trade benefit , id against them so why not direct , Western people also will do wrong things like sympathizing with them when the brutality show comes over ISIS and its hidden supporters , Arab are tribes with different ideology binded by islam

Hmm let s see

I hope Abe will stay the course & pay the full amount due these pigs! $000,000,000!

$200 million is for all Arabic countries war victim people. I thought only Syria but not just Syria. Not much money for them left when the money is also used to help their countries to develop tech industries but if tech industries are built there with private money of Japan Inc, People can get jobs to be independent.

Offering to pay ransom would put Tokyo at odds with its close ally Washington, whose policy is to refuse to pay for the release of captives

Tokyo should be more concerned about the precedence that would be set by paying the ransom. If the ransom were paid, it would place other Japanese in the Middle East in jeopardy of being kidnapped for ransom. Frankly, I don't think the ransom will be paid, and I think the hostages will be spared for some reason that will be intended to show "Allah is merciful" and ISIS isn't as horrible as reported.

I smell Brush tactics.