Putin says U.S. presence in Japan complicates signing of peace treaty

Calling your bluff here, Putin wants the US out of the area.

Just as Russia constantly tells Japan to accept the results of WWII, I'd say Russia needs to accept the results of WWII.

Putin's puppet, aka Individual 1, will probably do what he can to comply with his master and get the US out of Japan and Korea, just like he did in Syria, just like he'll do in Afghanistan.

Trump's hastening the end of the US as global empire, which is good.

However, one of the many problems of his short time in office is he's leaving the US a shambles, more divided than ever, while making the Russian empire stronger.

American and 'foreign' GoTrumpers: you own this.

Yeah, well, your country helped create the situation back in WWII, so you are just as much a part of the problem as well as the solution too!

You, especially since Trump took office, ever get the feeling that everything Putin says is just to put up the pretense that Putin and Trump are enemies when actually they're cooperating. The USA is pulling out of Syria... win for Putin. The U.S. is arguing with European allies.... a plus for Putin. The U.S. does nothing regarding aggression in Ukraine.... another plus for Putin. Then Putin says this.... Japan and U.S. Alliance and U.S. Troops in Japan is a problem. What? I'm just trying to figure out what is actually going on. Oil prices were higher.... a win for Putin. And why would Putin even bother talking about a peace treaty with Japan when Japan actually gets ZERO out of any relationship with Russia. Well maybe some raw materials and Natural Gas.... but that is about it. All right.... my point.... this is just a smoke screen designed to continue the pretense that Russia does not own Donald Trump.... when it actually does.

That way he doesn't have to sign a peace treaty without admitting he just doesn't want to.

Maybe Japan should look at Ukrainian and Russian relations?

Putin’s concern is quite understandable. Japan has no say over where US builds military bases and USAF still controls its airspace. Hardly an independent country.

No country can send its troops outside its own borders.

I agree, if you mean current borders, not historical - or re-imagined.

And even if they're 'invited'.

Bilateral treaty means much less these days, in particular, none in relation to Russia.

Classic Putin.

Going on offense by changing the subject. He knows full well that this will cause the Japanese foreign ministry bureaucrats to spin their wheels dealing with this. In the meantime, the things Japan wants get deflected / ignored.

No country can send its troops outside its own borders.

I agree, if you mean current borders, not historical - or re-imagined.

> And even if they're 'invited'.

EXCELLENT ANSWER! I'll HAPPILY second that!

Well vladdy is putting troops on the ground in the disputed northern islands near hokaido so if the US left japan , Russian and Chinese forces would waltz right in.

How about a simple rule. No country can send its troops outside its own borders. Any objections?  

Not a single nation in the world will ever agree. What happens if one country (China is good example) invades another? How can they be removed without military force from 3rd countries.

US presence in Japan is a good thing. They risk there lives to protect Japanese citizens every day. Putin is talking nonsense. Just give back the Northern Territories, immediately!

They risk there lives to protect Japanese citizens every day. 

How?

Classic Putin.

Going on offense by changing the subject. He knows full well that this will cause the Japanese foreign ministry bureaucrats to spin their wheels dealing with this. In the meantime, the things Japan wants get deflected / ignored.

Exactly! Couldn't agree more.

How?

Last week several US Marines died in an exercise off Japan. In an operation to protect Japan from possible future invasion from enemy nations. They sacrificed theyre life for Japanese. RIP.

The last thing Japan needs is a U.S withdrawal faced with an encroaching Russia and China, hostile North Korea and 3 nuclear armed powers on its doorstep.

Japan needs to beef up its conventional military to the absolute max

And be able to call on U.S nuclear forces at any moment - bombers, nuclear strike subs etc.

Japan should consider going nuclear, but I think that is not feasible given domestic resistance.

There are no other options.

Japan should consider going nuclear, but I think that is not feasible given domestic resistance. There are no other options  

Brilliantly said. I have been saying this too for a long time. If Russia, NK and Communist PRC have nuclear weapons, pointed at Japan, it's not fair Japan doesn't.

Does the occupation of islands mean they de facto belong to the occupier? It seems that is Japan's claim in the case of the Senkakus. I believe when Japan made this claim, by doing so it gave up its claim to islands occupied by Korea or Russia.

I also believe Putin has a valid argument about the American military still being in Japan.

Even if Japan changes the constitution they would still be unable to defend themselves from any possible enemy forces, they don’t have the numbers or the defensive capability to withstand a full scale battle, China has been increasing, North Korea and Russia has been doing as they please so japan can be foolish and agree with Putin but the outcome won’t be good.

gaijintravellerToday  10:07 am JST

Does the occupation of islands mean they de facto belong to the occupier? It seems that is Japan's claim in the case of the Senkakus

They aren't occupied.

He would say that --wouldn't he?

Trump said he would remove US troops from Japan. Now that Mattis is gone, he can do it. Problem solved.

I hope the two countries will agree on something towards a peace treaty.

So then ask Trump to take the boys and gals home.  Problem solved.

This is just Putin being his usual "I'll try to cause problems for the Americans wherever I can", when he's not interfering in our elections. But it isn't going anywhere.

Japanese leaders look out from their shores and see the following;

Looking west they see a belligerent China, armed to the teeth with new weapons, expanding and swallowing ocean territory everywhere, and with its eyes on the Senkakus and then Okinawa, ruled by a ruthless Communist party that demonizes Japan to keep the Chinese populace from turning on it.

Looking west, they also see the two Koreas, one more dangerous than the other but both willing to play the "Japan history card" and demonize it anytime a domestic scandal breaks out. Moreover, they sign agreements then unilaterally change or cheat on them - questioning their ability as a trustworthy partner. 

Looking north - they see the great Russian bear that threatened them as the Soviet Union for 40 years. At the end of WW II Russia was not only going to take the four northern islands, but planned to invade Hokkaido and partition Japan just like it had in Korea until President Truman said "if you do that Uncle Joe, we'll have to send a few nuclear armed B-29s up your way..." Japan has always had a contentious relationship with Russia - that continues today.

Looking south, they see a variety of smaller nations that are willing to take Japanese investment, but share no outward love for the nation that colonized them, sometimes brutally, early in the last century.

Looking east, they see a nation they had a short (in their terms) war, but has been their primary military, political and economic benefactor for over 60 years. A partner that helped them rebuild their economy and secure the nation, and shown it was a true friend in times of need, such as "Operation Tomodachi"...

The US-Japan Security Treaty and Alliance is strong and will remain strong...Putin is just posturing...

Trump's tweet stating, "Hey!  That's a great idea, Vlad!  I like the way you think!" should be coming forthwith. 

S

This guy is an idiot.

Hoppo Ryodo in exchange for letting the US troops leave.

There's a sequel to this story.

According to today's Ryukyu Shinpo, Putin referred to U.S. bases in Okinawa, citing the fact that the construction of a new base at Henoko is being forged ahead despite strong local opposition -- by the governor and local residents, questioning at the same time if Japan was truly an independent sovereignty.

Russia is a paper tiger. They do not have a strong enough economy to conduct sustained military operations anyworld in the world. The total GDP of Russia is less than the GDP of New York, Texas, California, or South Korea.

That said, Putin is not completely stupid, even if he is very unwise. He was able to cripple the USA in the 2016 election for less than the cost of a B-1 bomber, by using a concerted hacking attack. If he were wise, he would be working to solve the world's problems, rather than trying to make the world less safe.

I’d love to know how Russia “crippled” the US with its Facebook ads (is the Zuck in Putin’s pocket too? Cambridge Analytica (the same help they gave to Obama), never forget.

Obama mocked Romney mercilessly for saying Russia was a threat. “The ‘80s calles and they want their foreign policy back.” Why the flip flop? Why the Second Cold War? I thought progressives (read: Socialists) detested the Red Scare?

Progressives are in a state of schizophrenia. Is this about Russia or Putin’s macho posturing?

Syria, seriously what does the U.S. pulling out of Syria or any other MidEast country have to do with the dispute over the Kurial Islands. U.S. military installations come under the DOJ/US Status of Forces Lease Agreement. Construction of any “base/facility/roadway or anything else requires DOJ’s approval and is funded by both on a 50/50 basis & remains under the ownership of GOJ.. Russia like China and NKR would love 2C the U.S. military forces withdrawn from the entire AssinPac Region thereby allowing them freerain/control of the entire region. Don’t hold your breath, that region of the Pacific Ocean is a “key” commercial seaplane traffic route.

Sea lane route - vice Seaplane route!!

PTownsend

We have our Seventh Fleet plus our Marine Expeditionary force stationed in Japan (a total of 50,000 troops) and we're building a new base. We're not leaving anytime soon.

I'll put it this way: do you trust Putin?

Not me. He's still a communist, like China, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela. Of these, western countries have messed up greatly by doing so much trade with China, cannae buy anything not Hecho en Chine since the 1990s. I'll take Hecho en USA/Japan!

Putin is apparently worried about a possibility that, if the disputed island territories were returned to Japanese control, they could be turned into U.S. military bastions against Russia. So far, there's been no response from the Japanese government in regard to this Russian concern or fear.

Can Tokyo retort with confidence that Japan's defense policy is not dictated by Washington?

Putin is absolutely right. There is no sense at all for Russia to give the islands back to Japan while US troops are here. If the islands are Japanese, they would be immediately turned into US military strongholds to cut off the Russian Navy from the Pacific Ocean.

@bones

if the US left japan , Russian and Chinese forces would waltz right in

Nonsense. Every Japanese military planner knows that the Russians have no designs on Hokkaido (what for?). And SDF is more then capable to defend Japan from Chinese airborne and sea landings. How Chinese forces can "waltz in" across the Japan Sea?

@Ganbare Japan!

US presence in Japan is a good thing. They risk there lives to protect Japanese citizens every day

False statement. US forces are here not to defend Japan, but to defend US interests. Bases in Japan are very convenient for forward deployments of US forces, plus it saves huge anounts of money, Japanese government meekly pays for the occupation. Additional bonus: it's always better to fight on other's territory, not yours, and for the US it's better in a future war with China to turn Japan into battlefield, not Hawaii.

@Matt Hartwell

The last thing Japan needs is a U.S withdrawal faced with an encroaching Russia and China, hostile North Korea and 3 nuclear armed powers on its doorstep

No, with US forces here Japan will continue to be a hostage of US policy. Japan should be truly independent, with no foreign military presence on its soil, it is capable to defend itself. Russia is no military threat to Japan, North Korea is a threat, but very limited. Kim wants to milk Japan, not to destroy it. With new anti-missile systems Japan can contain NK. The only real threat is China, but SDF are powerful enough to defend this country. US forces here are not deterrent from attack from China, the are magnet for it in a future confrontation between US and China.

@1glenn

Russia is a paper tiger. They do not have a strong enough economy to conduct sustained military operations anyworld in the world

Ever heard about the campaign in Syria, where very limited Russian forces manage to turn the tide and saved Syria from the fate of Libya?

The total GDP of Russia is less than the GDP of New York

Then how they managed to send their forces to Syria and completely ignore Western "biting" sanctions? Again, Obama's "Russian economy in tatters"? You still believe in it?

he's a clever man