Japan, U.S, S Korea sign document to institutionalize defense ties

A bilateral joint JPN-SK exercise is probably going to be seen soon. South Korea is going to have to get a handle on their domestic anti-JPN faction in order to maximize their own security concerns. SK may soon join the QUAD in FON missions.

Also rather refreshing to read a mention of the Senkakus without the needless Chinese name.

LOL both of the Asian defense ministers just look uncomfortable and miserable.

Whatever, a dub is a dub for the American side. Neither of these countries are very good when it comes to making strategically important decisions, so in these situations it makes sense that an actual global leader has to come in and strong arm them into doing what's necessary.

Though I am not without my concerns and skepticism. With regard to S. Korea, I think it's extremely unlikely that they would intervene in the case of a Taiwan invasion - for one thing they really have nothing to gain, in fact if TSMC semiconductor production were disrupted that would actually force more buyers to depend on Samsung, the world's number two. Regarding Japan, I am still not fully convinced they are over their complete pacifism phase. Sixty five years ago the very idea that Japan might have to militarily assist America in a war ignited some of the biggest protests in their history, and this is a country that won't even do that in the face of endless corruption and corporate abuse. Whether America would even risk nuclear war with China is questionable. So, it's all posturing. Likely the right kind of posturing, but that's all I really see it as. Hopefully it works well enough as a bluff.

LOL both of the Asian defense ministers just look uncomfortable and miserable.

Because they know their countries are not sovereign and they have no say in the matter, especially when the guy standing next to them is from the military industrial complex.

@OssanAmerica

A bilateral joint JPN-SK exercise is probably going to be seen soon.

Nope.

South Korea is going to have to get a handle on their domestic anti-JPN faction

You don't understand, the anti-Japan folks are the SUPERMAJORITY of the Korean parliament. Do expect the formal criminalization of Rising Sun Flag bill to pass once the Democrats retake presidency(This is a given due to the collapse of right), which prohibits Korean military's interactions with JSDF until SDF drops Rising Sun Flag.

SK may soon join the QUAD in FON missions.

Nope.

Also rather refreshing to read a mention of the Senkakus without the needless Chinese name.

The official name of Diaoyu Islands in Korea is Joe-do, the Korean pronounce of Diaoyu Islands.

@wolfshine

With regard to S. Korea, I think it's extremely unlikely that they would intervene in the case of a Taiwan invasion

Neither will Japan. The US can't intervene due to Japanese prohibition of the US use of Okinawan bases because doing so makes Japan an official legal combatant, opening the door for China to strike Tokyo with thousands of ballistic missiles, a chance of vengeance that China will not refuse.

Samit BasuToday 12:19 am JST

The US can't intervene due to Japanese prohibition of the US use of Okinawan bases because doing so makes Japan an official legal combatant, opening the door for China to strike Tokyo with thousands of ballistic missiles, a chance of vengeance that China will not refuse.

Japan can't prevent US assets from leaving those bases and doing what they need to do on the way out...

@TaiwanIsNotChina

Of course the US forces can transit through Okinawa but cannot return during the duration of conflict, which precludes the deployment of air assets, because they cannot come back to Okinawa, must stay and operate from Taiwan. But this is impossible since there is no onground logistics on Taiwan, nor will they last more than a couple of days thanks to intense PLA bombardments.

Samit BasuToday 02:45 am JST

@TaiwanIsNotChina

Of course the US forces can transit through Okinawa but cannot return during the duration of conflict, which precludes the deployment of air assets, because they cannot come back to Okinawa, must stay and operate from Taiwan. But this is impossible since there is no onground logistics on Taiwan, nor will they last more than a couple of days thanks to intense PLA bombardments.

We don't know what friendly countries may accept US aircraft in the event of a Taiwan conflict. And the US has been making sure it can prosecute the war from Guam and further afield.

PLA bombardments.

Destroying Taiwan is always an option for the thug mainland, but they assure us that that is not the plan.

Who is the most powerful man in the picture

@TaiwanIsNotChina

We don't know what friendly countries may accept US aircraft

Hosting US combat jets and letting them fly off and then comeback in combat sorties are two totally separate things. Of course both Japan and the Philippines can host US combat jets. But they cannot allow the US jets to fly combat sorties because doing so makes Japan and the Philippines direct enemy combatants.

This is the reason why NATO countries do not allow Ukrainian jets to be based on their soil and fly combat missions. The best they can do is the transit of weapons through their territories.

This is why Taiwan is indefensible, and one man alone decides the fate of Taiwan, Xi Jinping. The US is powerless to stop and "sanctions" do not work after China takes over Taiwan.

Samit...you make a lot of sense for this early in the morning.

Realism, not "patriotism " needs to be on the other posters minds.

Well said.

Cult-like. As someone posted recently it could be hyper sensitive Japanese who do not post anything but do downvote anything that they think is critical about Japan.

Cult-like. As someone posted recently it could be hyper sensitive Japanese who do not post anything but do downvote anything that they think is critical about Japan.

Likely that is the case.

Sometime ago another user made me aware of a Japanese website called "Gekiyaku", in which many of their articles consist entirely of JapanToday comments. The responses are largely xenophobic and sometimes include calls to violence against foreigners.

Samit BasuToday 05:05 am JST

@TaiwanIsNotChina

We don't know what friendly countries may accept US aircraft

Hosting US combat jets and letting them fly off and then comeback in combat sorties are two totally separate things. Of course both Japan and the Philippines can host US combat jets. But they cannot allow the US jets to fly combat sorties because doing so makes Japan and the Philippines direct enemy combatants.

You are speculating that there is no solution when the minimum solution is that everything is done from Guam which can be done. Japan is fooling itself if it thinks it will be easy to keep a murderous PRC from considering them involved in the war.

This is the reason why NATO countries do not allow Ukrainian jets to be based on their soil and fly combat missions. The best they can do is the transit of weapons through their territories.

Urkaine is not the US, which has been preparing for this war for 75 years and calls the shots.

This is why Taiwan is indefensible, and one man alone decides the fate of Taiwan, Xi Jinping.

Jinping already backed down, or haven't you seen his underlings shaking hands with US representatives again? He does not control Taiwan other than the ability to kill it. Any ja can kick down a barn, as they say.

The US is powerless to stop and "sanctions" do not work after China takes over Taiwan.

We won't be messing around with sanctions after the fact. We will be sending those tubs full of soldiers and sailors down to the bottom of the strait.