Japan, Israel step up defense ties amid regional tensions

Did they mention human rights of the palestinians in their talks and cessation of annexation of Palestinian lands by the settlers/state???

Not the best of Partners Japan.

Japan should not become involved with Israel. Japan's good reputation will suffer from anything perceived as a close association with a highly militarist and religious-nationalist nation like Israel engaged in a borderline genocide of the Palestinians. Israel is also a major source of advanced technology for the Chinese military. There is no assurance anything they sell to Japan isn't going to be well known by the Chinese negating any advantage offered by a notional higher technology from Israel.

China and Japan share sea borders. North Korea is only a short distance.

Not a good look Japan, aligning with an apartheid state.

Japanese leaders must think Israel will sell gas to Japan from the gas field 'shared' with Lebanon. If Lebanon ends up getting the larger share will Japan then buy gas from them.

Long, long passed time for Japan to develop its own ways to generate electricity without having to burn huge amounts of heavily polluting oil and gas, while at the same time being dependent on a foreign state, especially one from the Middle East.

"gaijintravellerToday 08:15 am JST

Will this meaning exchanging technology?

Israel is not a threat to Japan, but it is most definitely a threat to Palestinians and the state of Palestine. For that reason Japan should step up defence ties with Israel."

Palestine is NOT now a "State". It is now a collection of concrete walled, barbed wired CONCENTRATION CAMPS encircled by military 'guards' who shoot first and have a predilection for murdering Palestinian young men and which are constantly made smaller by land stealing psychopaths. Great choice of 'allies' Japan and reflects the same mentality that led to the Tripartite Pact of September 27, 1940 when Japan allied with the NAZIs.

Clueless

If there's one country that knows how to protect their country on a daily basis from all sides, it's Israel.

most of their land is stolen and occupied Palestine, and they constantly bomb all their neighbors blowing civilians to small parts. How exactly is that protection? Do you recommend we buy Israeli offensive weapons against Article 9 and return to imperialism?

Israel does not share a border with nuclear-armed China and North Korea.

True, but Japan does and it also shares a border with Nuclear armed Russia.

That is correct.

I would not trust Israel. Netanyahu insulted Japanese people by serving dessert inside a shoe.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/05/07/netanyahu-puts-wrong-foot-forward-by-serving-japans-abe-dessert-in-a-shoe/

Japan should be distancing from Israel until it stops stealing Palestinian land in the West bank, returns what it has already stolen. And remove the restrictions it has placed on Gaza making it the worlds largest prison.

The sharing of technology and information can be very useful to Japan. Not sure what Israel hopes to get out of the relationship.

 Israel is also a major source of advanced technology for the Chinese military. 

The US military too, heck anywhere with money. They seem to only care about money...

ToshihiroToday 07:43 am JST

If there's one country that knows how to protect their country on a daily basis from all sides, it's Israel

Yeah, by turning the whole oppressed population into a concentration camp

A nation accused of being an apartheid nation by Amnesty International may not be the best of partners, but I am hoping that Israel will edge closer towards full democracy as it becomes a partner with other nations who value democracy and freedom.

its a shame how Japan and others cannot see how oppressive the Israeli regime is. Theft of land is still going on to this very day. Lets not forget the concentration camp aka Gaza. How could you Japan?!

There are three "western" countries that sell integrated missile defense networks; the US, Korea, and Israel.

No, not true. You are ignoring the Franco-Italian SAMP/T medium and long range air defense system which is roughly comparable to Standard/ Aegis but is designed for both land based and shipboard use and includes a dedicated ballistic missile defense missile along the lines of SM-3, IRIS-T Surface Launch from Germany , MEADS medium range air defense system jointly developed with the US, Italy and Germany in service in NATO now, Norway's NASAMS which can fire AMRAAM, AMRAAM-ER, AIM-9X Sidewinder and IRIS-T SL rounds plus it can be integrated with Patriot. A version of NASAMS is being given Ukraine by the US, which also uses the system.

If there's one country that knows how to protect their country on a daily basis from all sides, it's Israel.

Tear down the walls Israel, Jews and Arabs alike deserve better.

wallaceToday  08:13 am JST

Israel does not share a border with nuclear-armed China and North Korea.

True. But neither does Japan.

I think you meant to write the following:

True, but Japan does and it also shares a border with Nuclear armed Russia.

@PTownsend

Japanese leaders must think Israel will sell gas to Japan

No, Japan wants Israeli defense equipment, especially air defense SAMs.

There are three "western" countries that sell integrated missile defense networks; the US, Korea, and Israel.

The US ones cost arms and legs, the Koreans ones, well they are from Korea so they are no good even though Middle East and Europe seem to go gaga over them, so the last supplier remaining is Israel.

@gaijintraveller

Will this meaning exchanging technology?

There is no Japanese weapon that Israel wants, but there are a number of Israeli weapons that Japan wants. So it's a one-way flow from Israel to Japan.

And no, Israel doesn't want Soryu/Taigei, Israel gets its submarines from Germany for free/at subsidized cost as Germany's atonement for Holocaust.

Israel makes a good partner for Japan in the defence field, their technology can enhance Japans defence systems.

Not sure what relevance the diatribes about Palestinian Arabs has but in so far as it goes there is no meaningful Palestinian state, just a shadow construct created by various international actors for their own political agenda.

highly militarist and religious-nationalist nation

Having actually been there, not at all my experience of Israelis or their state, in reality a closer description of the majority if not all the Arab speaking countries surrounding them.

As the only truly democratic country in the Middle East, Israel is a good match for Japan in defending freedom.

Because they share a border and all. ;)

Japan and Israel, which are both strong U.S. allies, are marking the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic ties this year.

Good to see these democracies staying strong together.

wallaceToday  08:21 am JST

China and Japan share sea borders.

No they do not. Each country has its own territorial waters. Beyond those borders are international waters. No shared sea borders.

RodneyToday  11:05 am JST

most of their land is stolen and occupied Palestine, and they constantly bomb all their neighbors blowing civilians to small parts.

How could land be stolen when it was given to Israel, a country, and rejected by Palestinian Arabs, basically a tribe? Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. Even the Arabs in Israel prefer there than to live in an Arab country.

wallaceToday  08:13 am JST

Israel does not share a border with nuclear-armed China and North Korea.

True. But neither does Japan.

Will this meaning exchanging technology?

Israel is not a threat to Japan, but it is most definitely a threat to Palestinians and the state of Palestine. For that reason Japan should step up defence ties with Israel.