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Japan, U.S. defense chiefs agree to boost alliance in phone talks

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Just don't forget who will pay all of those, Japanese tax payer right.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

Great news but now Japan needs to assert control and defend the Senkakus with military retaliation if the aggressive Chinese don't heed our warnings. The U.S. will only defend Japan if Japan is ready to really defend itself first!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

@sakurasuki What wastes more of our taxes in constantly sending ships and airplanes to intercept the constant aggressive Chinese maneuvers and exercises to probe and test our defenses. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has experienced a significant operational burden due to these incursions. For instance, in a nine-month period leading up to January 2022, Japanese fighter jets were scrambled over 700 times in response to Chinese and Russian aircraft activities. Such frequent deployments not only strain personnel and equipment but also incur substantial costs related to fuel, maintenance, and logistics. Need to seriously show some drastic consequences and teach them a lesson or two... They are doing the same thing to Philippines and just loves to be a bully. A bully needs to be taught a lesson..

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

That is an interesting take on Chinese military maneuvers in the East China Sea, South China Sea and the Western Pacific Ocean.

What wastes more of our taxes in constantly sending ships and airplanes to intercept the constant aggressive Chinese maneuvers and exercises to probe and test our defenses.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Even the one-percent cap of GNP on the military is in violation of Art. 9 of the Japanese constitution. Much less the two-percent!

Note that the bulk of it goes for the purchase of U.S.-made weapons: for example, 400-plus Tomahawk missiles and lunch pads.

Very lucrative business transactions for the U.S. military-industrial complex.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

The Felon-in-Chief is doing everything he can to ruin our alliances. Japan cannot count on the US for much of anything anymore.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

For instance, in a nine-month period leading up to January 2022, Japanese fighter jets were scrambled over 700 times in response to Chinese and Russian aircraft activities. 

I can't say about fighter jets, because I don't know such statistics. But as for Japanese fishing vessels, they regularly enter the territorial waters of neighboring China and Russia. I don't know about China, but Russia regularly catches them, gives them a kick and lets them go. I have not seen statistics of such border violations :)))

In your own words:

Such frequent deployments not only strain personnel and equipment but also incur substantial costs related to fuel, maintenance, and logistics

Maybe it would be better to teach them a lesson - your advice, no?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

voiceofokinawaToday 12:25 pm JST

Even the one-percent cap of GNP on the military is in violation of Art. 9 of the Japanese constitution.

Nonsense.

Article 9 says nothing about spending caps, and Japan is allowed to have the SDF as a means of defense.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Even the one-percent cap of GNP on the military is in violation of Art. 9 of the Japanese constitution. Much less the two-percent!

Nothing in Article 9 of the constitution states anything about percentage of defense spending.

For your reference, and everyone else's here,

CHAPTER II

RENUNCIATION OF WAR

Article 9. Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.

In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.

https://japan.kantei.go.jp/constitution_and_government_of_japan/constitution_e.html

While this article should be amended, it is currently the law of the land. And there is no where in the constitution that states anything about the amount of money that shall be spent on defense spending.

The current amount is in fact nearly 1.6% of the GDP for THIS current fiscal year, that ends in March 2025.

Roughly  8.9 trillion yen ($56.7 billion).

If people are interested, here is a very informative article as to why Japan has traditionally held it's defense spending at 1% of the gdp

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://spfusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/1-percent-final.pdf

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Sorry, here is the "proper" link, apologies

https://spfusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/1-percent-final.pdf

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Note that the bulk of it goes for the purchase of U.S.-made weapons: for example, 400-plus Tomahawk missiles and lunch pads

Again, sharing wrong information to attempt to make some point or another. The total cost is roughly $2.4 billion, and the current defense budget is around $57 billion.

In November, the U.S. approved a $2.35 billion sale of two types of Tomahawks — 200 Block IV missiles and 200 upgraded Block V versions. 

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15118917

Please refrain from passing along blatantly incorrect information.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Isabelle,

True, Article 9 says nothing about military spending, but it clearly says international disputes must not be settled by use of force. Resorting to force is tantamount to military spending.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

True, Article 9 says nothing about military spending

Nice try, you wrote

Even the one-percent cap of GNP on the military is in violation of Art. 9 of the Japanese constitution. 

You inferred and tried to make it sound otherwise

 but it clearly says international disputes must not be settled by use of force. 

Sure does, no one is stating otherwise.

Resorting to force is tantamount to military spending.

Which has nothing to do with Japan. It's a "self defense force".

So in reality, your comments are off-topic, and unrelated to the discussion.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

voiceofokinawaFeb. 1  12:25 pm JST

Even the one-percent cap of GNP on the military is in violation of Art. 9 of the Japanese constitution. Much less the two-percent!

There is nothing in Article 9 (or anywhere in the J-Constitition) that addresses military expenditure. Please stop posting blatantly false information.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

voiceofokinawaFeb. 2 10:52 pm JST

encouraging and cajoling Japan to rearm

Every nation should have the right to be armed to the hilt, just not with nukes unless you have scofflaw nuclear powers near you. The Japanese written Article 9 was a mistake.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Every nation should have the right to be armed to the hilt, just not with nukes unless you have scofflaw nuclear powers near you.

Who decides who can have nukes? Those who have them? Japan could easily develop nuclear weapons, but they are considered "offensive weapons" so against the current constitution.

The Japanese written Article 9 was a mistake.

Do you own a crystal ball? Article 9 served a purpose, and with it, provided the region with stability, and no fear of a rearmed Japan.

Times have changed, and the people here still, as a majority, still believe in the validity of Article 9, but it needs tweaking.

The US as an ally to Japan can not depend upon Japan to assist it, if it is attacked by a third country. Japan could not, based upon the current constitution, assist in defending it's ally. From that point of view, in today's world, the constitution needs amending, according to some in the LDP. L

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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