Abe urges stronger defense in face of N Korean threats

What a disgusting political exploitation of events in order to force a very dangerous nationalist agenda. Which won't end to anything but an even more authoritative Japanese state above a population already easily manipulable. On top of that, the development of a Japanese military nationalism won't help to pacify the region which basically works against Japan's security that this government is claiming to defend.

All of that from a man, Abe, who should be by now facing a judge for the numerous scandals he has been involved.

Japan's prime minister on Monday called for a boost to the country's defenses in the face of North Korean threats, warning that Tokyo needs to be able to protect itself.

Yes, Japan needs to protect itself whatever best way it can. However, it is reasonable for North Korea to think and do the same.

North Korea has been a political goldmine for Abe, who doesn't care one wit about the actual situation any further than it further his own political agenda. He'll get everything he wants, despite being truly corrupt, because this is Japan, and no one will stand up for themselves. Doesn't matter what he does, and doesn't matter that the majority don't want the Constitution changed or Japan to head back down the path that led to it being destroyed in WWII; they will shrug and say, "Shou ga nai", and just complain silently, if at all.

In a speech to senior officers of the Self-Defense Forces, Abe said: "No one else will protect you if you don't have the mindset of protecting yourself."

Ahh...Time to show off our own nukes soon too then? That's been mooted recently too.

Talk about the wrong decision makers at the wrong time, this path leads only to 1930.

If Abe were Inoki then there would be great rapport between the two countries.

Still, all would be in vain, as there would be some revisionist ignoramus of a politico who would put their foot in it......again!

Is he? More like a psychopath who is using the ruler of a pipsqueak nation to militarize Japan. That photograph says it. North Korea has its problems. Abe is our problem.

spending more money on defence will neither stop L'il kim shooting rockets nor provide any greater defence against him shooting rockets.  This whole saga is being ramped up to benefit all concerned.

The worst of all at the moment is to have 2 guys with abnormal symptoms, one of them a manic depressed leader and the other side a crazy kid warmonger dictator...And why to show 'he' in this military parade? The 'kid' isn't scared by that, does he!?

Is he!?

Right, Ossan! Japan had better be prepared militarily. The world will absolutely never be a place of peace, as much as we want it to be. Like the old saying, wish in one hand, shxxt in the other and see which one gets full quickest.

OssanAmerica: "and their hate for Abe WITH a fixation on WWII Japanese nationalism."

Fixed it for you!

"Japan certainly should increase it's defense, with it's 70 year pacificist policy shattered by NK and it's backer China."

Sorry, but no one aside from Abe wants to shatter the Japanese Constitution. Japan has been threatened by the NK it helped create, for sure, but how has the Constitution been "shattered"?

"NK must be disparate. It tested into its underground causing earthquake."

Do you know nothing about nuclear weapons? Why do you think Japan wants to bury nuclear waste deep, DEEP under ground and in the mountains? You don't test a nuclear weapon ABOVE ground! And as for desperation, NK is the same as always -- they aren't the nation running around and begging the US, the UN (which Japan hates when it suits them, and demands when it doesn't), and even China and Russia (willing to put aside the island issue if Russia cooperates), are they?

Agree with Abe, better defense is warranted. Dont wait until its too late.

Japan has been at peace with the world for generations. Are their still nationalist? Of course. Show me a country that doesn't have some. It is startling to see people so blinded by their dislike of Abe to ignore the reality of the legitimate danger and insanity seething in North Korea. Sanction do not work because China's NK fostering government does not want sanctions to work. North Korea is lobbing missles over Japan, if that does not pass for provocation, what does? Negotiate? NK flouts all opinions in its quest to destablize peace. Why would one negotiate with a government based on nuclear black-mail? Was there ever a better reason to up your military game than having a deranged neighbor, widely recognized as one of the cruelest, most abominable regimes in existense vis-a-vis its treatment of its own people, that has developed nuclear weapons and is shooting missles over you while espousing destruction? Abe may be an opportunistic idiot, but the dislike of him should never obscure the horror that is North Korea, inside and out, and the reality of its threat to the world.

people who still preach 'talks' with NK are either having their heads in sands or those who has a "damned if you do damn if you dont" attitude to Abe/Japan. The North Korea regime is not something that anyone, not even China can reason with, period.

That said, fatty Kim present a prime opportunity for Abe and right wingers in the country to revise the constitution.

Ossan: Looks like many posters here are incapable of separating North Korea's obvious and real threat that it poses to Japan and the region, and their hate for Abe and a fixation on WWII Japanese nationalism.

Agreed. Probably the same people who will be first to flee Japan at the first sign of trouble, all the while muttering as to why Abe did not protect them.

Looks like many posters here are incapable of separating North Korea's obvious and real threat that it poses to Japan and the region, and their hate for Abe and a fixation on WWII Japanese nationalism. North Korea today is a totalitarian dictatorship with a "Military First" policy, the people living under complete control and Kim worship. What we are seeing is a mirror reflection of Imperial Japan in tge 1930s/40s when the Emperor was a God and the military fascists controlled everything. There is a good reason that the Japanese find what they see in North Korea today abhorrent. Japan certainly should increase it's defense, with it's 70 year pacificist policy shattered by NK and it's backer China.

iworld99Today  12:28 am JST

Japan's prime minister on Monday called for a boost to the country's defenses in the face of North Korean threats, warning that Tokyo needs to be able to protect itself.

Yes, Japan needs to protect itself whatever best way it can. However, it is reasonable for North Korea to think and do the same.

No it's not reasonable at all. North Korea has NOT been threatened militarily since the Korean War ceased. But the regime continued to keep the country in a "State of War" mentality. Japan is a pacifist country and North Korea shoots missiles over their airspace. Consider if North Korea would even dare to do that over the U.S., Russia or China. Of course not. There is absolutely no comparison between NK and Japan's position.

Don't forget the 90000 homeless in Fukushima Abe, or the destruction of Tokyo.

Just take to your common sense Shinzo Abe and agree on Angela Merkels proposal to hold talks with North Korea. North Korea's threat can't get any bigger than this before it snaps, so please hold talks before you, Moon or Trump end the world in ashes.

Sanctions has not worked, and North Korea has a great amount of former KGB spies working for them. They're a serious international actor with a huge atmoic bomb "joker" on their hand! They're now in a position to negotiate, since they have a great card to play! It's literally now or never. If Shinzo Abe continues to pursue hostility with North Korea, then I believe he has revealed his ambitions; To have North Korea be divided between Russia, China, USA/South Korea and a piece for himself!

To have North Korea renounce their only capable defense equipment would be like asking for war.

Government defence spending is above and beyond an unprecedented level. Any additional defence spending is unwarranted.    

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said he hoped to quickly introduce Aegis Ashore, a land-based version of the maritime Aegis missile-defence system.

With all due respect to the US government and tax payer,  Aegis Ashore, a land-based version of the maritime Aegis missile-defence system, is a shared financial commitment.

The sighting whilst US forward bases are located on the Japanese mainland is the total economic responsibility of President Trump  administration. No more no less

Let wait to see testing result of Aegis Ashore. Forget about S Korean blackmailing. APC3 seems worked well at Southern Hokkaido. The new N Korean missile test failed into P Sea side. NK must be disparate. It tested into its underground causing earthquake.

Seth MToday  02:44 am JST

That said, fatty Kim present a prime opportunity for Abe and right wingers in the country to revise the constitution.

Well that was started nearly 10 years ago due to China. North Korea's actions only furthers it. As for revising he constitution, not just "right wingers" want to see it revised. For example, revising the second part to officially recognize the existence of the JSDF makes complete sense. And no one is even talking about amending the"war renouncing" part of the first part of Art 9. There's no doubt that Japan needs to revise it's constitution so as not to hinder it's ability to defend itself.