politics

Japan collective self-defense should include others, not just U.S., says Abe adviser

22 Comments
By Linda Sieg

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

22 Comments
Login to comment

Presumably, Japan will naturally have the right to exercise or not exercise collective defense, South Korea really needs to get it's act together and reach a bilateral security agreement with Japan. Naturally it will never happen with the current Park administration of course.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Mark my words, South Korea will want to benefit from Japan adopting "collective defense". They are the ones still technically in a state of war.

Actually, South Korea is not even a signatory to the armistice agreement. It's funny that SK wanted U.S. to hand over the command much earlier but SK wanted to delay hence the current 2015 timetable. U.S. should just pull out of the Korean peninsula so no need for Japan's involvement in the collective defense.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Mark my words, South Korea will want to benefit from Japan adopting "collective defense". They are the ones still technically in a state of war.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

This fellow must be smoking pot. For all the killings, destruction and rape the Japanese army committed during the 2nd World War whoever is interested to follow Japan's deceit is just as hollow.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japan is banking on the hope that the conflict with China will be limited to the islands, and in that case Japan may not lose. It may be a correct bet, but it will only kick the can down the road. Japan has invaded China for centuries, and. China has never been able to hit back. So to the Japanese eyes, China is a country of weak will and so deserves no respect. In contrast Japanese respect the Americans and the Russians, because of their sadistic treatment of Japan civilians.

However the grievance accumulates, so when China does hit back, it could be with unimaginable savagery. May be this is why the Japanese see the conflict with China as a matter of national survival. Guilty conscience at work?

Why does it have to be this way? Poland and Germany don't feel this way toward each other. There's something seriously wrong here. Those who live by the the sward shall die by the sward. There's no pride in that.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

@Asian2013 and others of your ilk. Yes you should! 100%. Because the alternative is going to be far far worse in the extreme.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

It makes sense that Japan would seek allies in countries who share the same concern for the rule of law in the area.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

@Thunderbird2- so we in Asia should support Japan in its military build-up so as to help matters?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

The world will see the real Japan when it reels it's ugly head. Only China can prevent Japan from repeating what it did 70 years ago in Asia!

See? This is the kind of mentality that's not helping matters at all.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

wow we have come a long way since "Japan shall forever be banned from having a standing army navy or air force" to "japan should change the interpretation of its constitution to allow its military to defend not only its ally, the United States, but also other countries whose interests are closely intertwined with Tokyo" This comedy is really getting intense!

2 ( +5 / -3 )

The proposed shift is part of Abe’s long-term agenda whose end point is revising the constitution’s pacifist Article 9

Scrapping the pacifist constitution and getting rid of US control is only one of the long-term agenda of the LDP and other rightists. The other task that they have been trying to accomplish since they regained control of Japan in the 1950s is to revive State Shinto (Yasukuni cult).

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

By showing China that Japan is doing everything possible to counter it, Abe looks determined to make China an enemy. Regardless of who is to blame for the creation of this trend, how can this be good for Japan? Is Japan's long term goal to have China an enemy or a friend?

Perhaps the calculation already assumes the China will be an enemy regardless. This is questionable in my view. It would seem that US and China will be rivals in the long run, and Japan could benefit by playing power politics between them. They would both be extremely interested in cuddling Japan for influence in Asia, much the same reason China and Japan are both cuddling Vietnam now. This would be a better situation for Japan than being captive to the US as it currently is. The more Japan and China hate each other, the more dependent Japan becomes on the US. It would seem better to be a power player between two super powers than to be the pawn of one of them against the other. India and Vietnam are exemplary of such power play. They get support from both US and Russia, and now from China too, all of which are rivals.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

It looks like Japan has its sights set on North Korea. I don't think Abe wants to sit idly by the next time North Korea start playing with their missiles and threatening other nations. Also, China are potentially in the cross hairs too methinks.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Japan has the right of any nation to counter those threatening them and the US has been in support of Japan being more actively engaged in its defense. As for allies, Japan has many, all western nations are an allie of Japan, who are you people trying to fool here about the US being Japan's only allie? Japan is a well established partner of all developed nations based on human rights and rule of law within the country and with in international laws, which is not able to be said for some of its neighbors which we could very pointedly point out. Just look at who is nuclear equiped in East Asia.. China and their partner, North Korea, plus there is Russia, plus there are those regimes that China and Russia has continually blocked resolutions in the UN from becomming nuclear armed by vetoing resolutions or causing resolutions to be so watered down that resolutions passed has no real affect of stopping these rogue nations from becoming nuclear. China's moves in the UN is a prime example of that when we look at North Korea, so see who China supports???? Which leads to another stupid issue about South korea and its relationship with Japan today. But that is another topic. Japan is a well developed country economically and socially, and just another positve partner in the family of the international community, lead by their people and should never stay victim to the oppression or aggression of those that show aggression towards them? And yes all in East Asia and South east Asia needs to form and complete a defense treaty to oppose the aggression, not only of the retoric of North Korea but the actions of CHINA! This is only logical with what we have seen coming out of China with their actions and threats of their continual building massive build of their military that is directly aimed at Japan. Should Japan just sit by and watch and accept China's aggressive acts against it and its threat! DEFINITEL Y NOT! The only one I actually see against Japan at this time with Japan expanding its forces is,, yeah you got it... CHINA! the country that has been using its new found might against Japan and others in Sout East Asia that them too look for Japan to build and counter China's mass building of power and expansionist actions and aggressive actions against all in Asia. It is time Japan, time to wake up and stand tall!

2 ( +5 / -3 )

I would say that the China supporters who claim that Japan has only one ally can only substantiate that claim if hey define "ally" as another country with a defense agreement. But then by that definition, what "ally" does China have?

0 ( +5 / -5 )

@Bertie

Japan should change the interpretation of its constitution to allow its military to defend its only ally, the United States

Always the dreamer.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

There is a saying that good people always unite with good people.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I just watched Kitaokas speech and wasnt impressed. "We should change the constitution because it is wrong", "Not having the right to collective defense is stupid", The concerns of the Koreans don`t need to be taken seriously because "The Koreans are an emotional people" etc. How could someone in a position of such importance be such a lazy thinker? This is the way a child supports his opinions.

You can watch the entire speech here - http://vimeo.com/77183187.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Regardless of whether collective defense with nations other than the U.S. flies or not, collective defense with the United States will invariably force it because of U.S. collective and bilateral agreements with other nations. So it's neither here nor there. The truth is that the U.S., Australia, Southeast Asian nations have formed a block to prevent China from doing what it has declared; to take control of the entire South and East China Seas and the navigation routes contained therein. Should a conflict occur in this regard Japan is going to be involved whether it likes it or not.

some14someNov. 11, 2013 - 07:12AM JST "The right to exercise collective self-defense should be applied “to any country which is very close to Japan”, Shinichi Kitaoka," perhaps, no country is close to Japan either by distance or heart.

Very dumb comment .

1 ( +10 / -9 )

What ally, might turn around and do a sneak job again.

-11 ( +2 / -13 )

Is this a typo:

The article states:

Japan should change the interpretation of its constitution to allow its military to defend not only its ally, the United States

But it makes more sense if written like this:

Japan should change the interpretation of its constitution to allow its military to defend its only ally, the United States

-8 ( +3 / -11 )

The right to exercise collective self-defense should be applied “to any country which is very close to Japan”, Shinichi Kitaoka,

perhaps, no country is close to Japan either by distance or heart.

-7 ( +4 / -11 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites