politics

Japan can't move ahead with U.S. missile defense system: Abe

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By Brendan SMIALOWSKI

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"The government had originally guaranteed that interceptor missile gear would not land in residential areas near where the system was based."

"Since the premise we explained to local people has changed, we can't move ahead further. That's our decision," Abe told reporters on Tuesday."

Eh, typical of everybody everywhere.

People: "WE NEED MISSILE DEFENSE!!!"

Gov't: "Okay, this may end up somewhere close to you to be the most effective."

People: "NOT IN MAH BACKYARD!!!1"

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Experts, obviously not government pointed out that the placement could maybe protect Hawaii but not Tokyo, usless. The defence minister had no idea,never even visited the proposed site. Let alone did any due diligence. For the amount of money allotted to this how many day care placements, how many special needs schools, it's another example of stupidity, has anyone actually seen a person wearing a tinny mask?

3 ( +5 / -2 )

aomorisamurai

You wouldn’t mind if interceptor missile gear landed in your backyard or right on your head? However sophisticated, missile defense never works. You have to be lucky enough to shoot down all inbound missiles while your enemy achieves his goal if one of his nuke missiles hits the target.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Finally standing up to Trump, he was getting Japan basically to pay for the entire thing and profit from it but still retaining control over it all

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Something is very wrong. It took this long to say no?

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Politics!? Let's see who's going to make money out of the alternative.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The dog's snipping at the master? Give it a few days before he cowers back to his rightful position.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Maybe Abe has to consider what China is thinking about this.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The rogue state of the USA needs to finally get out of Japan.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

An article about this appeared in New Politics in January:

https://newpol.org/issue_post/civic-resistance-to-japanese-militarism/

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

It's time to create the JSDF [SPACE] branch!

There is plenty of cutting edge talent in JAXA well experienced in space missions. If their budget is increased I have no doubt effective made in Japan defense can quickly be developed.

The problem --as always, is that of leadership of course. And creating such a survival critical role must be assigned to a capable scholar and NOT some corrupt administrator!

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

SHOULD NOT believes America's security protection! What Donald Trump wants to do is setting a debt trap by selling extra expensive weapons to allies to make them bankrupt!  It is not too late to understand this!

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

@gogogo

Finally standing up to Trump

It has nothing to do with Trump. Any U.S. president, whatever his name, would push Japan to buy American weaponry.

There is one old wise saying: if you want to do something right, do it yourself. If Japan wants to defend itself best, it should do it itself. And of course Japan should develop its own missile / missile defence technologies, strengthen its industrial base, and spend defence money with national industry.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

There is one old wise saying: if you want to do something right, do it yourself. If Japan wants to defend itself best, it should do it itself. And of course Japan should develop its own missile / missile defence technologies, strengthen its industrial base, and spend defence money with national industry.

The man obstacle to Japan developing its own military industrial base and weapons systems is the Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution. PM Abe is trying to get that modified so that Japan can strengthen its own military force and devlelop its own weapons systems. But the leftist/pacifists oppose any effort to modify the Article 9, therefore tying his hands.

You can't have it both ways.

As for buying American weaponry, the U.S. is Japan's most reliable partner. Some posters here believes Japan should buy Russian hardware, but conveniently forget Japan and Russia have no peace treaty, are still adversaries where the Kuril Islands are concerned. Why would anyone in their right mind purchase military hardware from their adversaries?

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

There is one old wise saying: if you want to do something right, do it yourself. If Japan wants to defend itself best, it should do it itself. 

There is also another financial saying: Don't expend money and effort in developing technology; instead let someone else develop it and then buy it from them.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Kono doesn't a have a good 'win' track record. Good luck to Japan on this latest Kono-bacle.

The proposed system is part of a 3 tiers defence shield. Threats won't go away, in fact, it will now be amplified with NK, Russia, and China now knowing the only protection Japan has is floating in the sea and can't be relied on to protect all of Japan's territories.

Or is this all a gesture of intention to realign to China?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

@Halwick

The man obstacle to Japan developing its own military industrial base and weapons systems is the Article 9

Not exactly. The main obstacle to any successful development of the Japanese military industrial base is the export ban. Japan can produce very advanced combat ships, submarines, planes and tanks, but the purchases are limited, and it makes all the hardware very expensive. Japan may not offset the costs by export.

Japan and Russia have no peace treaty, are still adversaries where the Kuril Islands are concerned

Again, not exactly. Absence of a peace treaty does not matter, Japan and Russia have normal diplomatic relations. And while the Kuriles are a souring factor, this problem does not make Japan and Russia military adversaries: Japan won't attack the islands, Russia won't attack Hokkaido. All military planners know it.

Some posters here believes Japan should buy Russian hardware

Possible option. Turkey, a member of NATO, bought Russian missiles recently. Several years before that Greece, another NATO member, also bought Russian missile systems. Very effective weapons those missiles.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Just give Kim what he wants and move on.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

There is also another financial saying: Don't expend money and effort in developing technology; instead let someone else develop it and then buy it from them

Amusing. Then why the U.S .is so concerned with China developing new technology? Relax, let the Chinese do the heavy lifting! And then try to buy from them.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Nothing but Made in Japan is the answer.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

AsakazeToday  01:37 pm JST

There is also another financial saying: Don't expend money and effort in developing technology; instead let someone else develop it and then buy it from them

Amusing. Then why the U.S .is so concerned with China developing new technology? Relax, let the Chinese do the heavy lifting! And then try to buy from them.

China doesn't "buy" technology from the United States. China steals it.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

It appears that Japan is seeing the "writing on the wall" for Trump. It is no longer useful to associate with the current WH.

Abe's own popularity is already sinking, so he is throwing all the trash overboard to stay afloat.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Finally standing up to Trump,

Or perhaps this was a favor to Trump, to punish the military for not backing Trump against the riots.

Anyway, I suspect the powers that be will try to get North Korea to test some missiles hoping that Japan will reconsider...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@OssanAmerica

China doesn't "buy" technology from the United States. China steals it

I won't question it. But read my post again, carefully. My point was different.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

It appears that Japan is seeing the "writing on the wall" for Trump. It is no longer useful to associate with the current WH.

Abe's own popularity is already sinking, so he is throwing all the trash overboard to stay afloat.

I said "Don the Con"!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Raw Beer

Or perhaps this was a favor to Trump, to punish the military for not backing Trump against the riots.

Anyway, I suspect the powers that be will try to get North Korea to test some missiles hoping that Japan will reconsider...

That is a possibility. The conman in the WH is spoiled which means anything that he touches turns sour. The military like all of his former business associates and employees have had enough.

The only people who actually support him are the ignorant people that have never actually met him, or the greedy people looking to use him for their own benefit.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

When frightened, the ostrich has been known to put its head in a hole in the ground, and pretend that no one can see it. Perhaps the ostrich should be the symbol of Japan's national defense strategy......pretend that the rest of the world doesn't exist, and no defense is necessary.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

When frightened, the ostrich has been known to put its head in a hole in the ground, and pretend that no one can see it. Perhaps the ostrich should be the symbol of Japan's national defense strategy......pretend that the rest of the world doesn't exist, and no defense is necessary.

+1 And whenever NK fires a missile in proximity to Japan or China sends warships or airplanes near the Senkaku Islands, Japan acts like a frightened turtle, pulling in its head and legs into their shells......meanwhile looking to the U.S. to do something to protect them.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It doesn't work anyway, so what's the point.

I suspect Japan will either go the Israeli way, or... simply plough cash into its own home grown system which will inevitably be like the US one... unproven and prone to lots of expensive failures at the taxpayers expense.... but at least those working on the technology are paying tax too... so its the lesser of two evils.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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