politics

Japan, France agree on defense sharing pact

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Akie

Japan was fighting France in South China Sea before WW2, and now, the most conservative PM and a strong supporter of the extreme right wing group, invites France back to South China Sea. What kind of joke and betrayal.

France is no longer invading or colonizing the Asia.

Matt

Japan is a democratic nation state and unsurprisingly likes to form relationships with Western countries. This policy has served Japan extremely well since WW2.

Japan was a democratic nation and had good relations with Western countries long before WW2.  Japan was opened up to trade with the West after Meiji restoration.  UK was a Japan's ally before WW1.  Japan was a permanent member of the League of Nations before WW2.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Abe bluffs desperately, kind of extremist. Japan was fighting France in South China Sea before WW2, and now, the most conservative PM and a strong supporter of the extreme right wing group, invites France back to South China Sea. What kind of joke and betrayal.

I think its great!

France has the most capable military in the E.U, arguably more capable than the U.K. They also have trident nuclear strike submarines and territories in the region. They have considerable diplomatic reach way beyond their economic size. Don't underestimate the Frenchies.

When are you going to realise that Japan is a democratic nation state and unsurprisingly likes to form relationships with Western countries. This policy has served Japan extremely well since WW2. I know you would love to live under the thumb of Xi but other people have other ideas.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Both Japan and France, along with a great may other nations believe in the rule of law regarding the Pacific and Indian oceans. Unfortunately the world's most powerful totalitarian dictatorship does not.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Matt Hartwell, presumably you are a democratic minded freedom lover, then what is wrong for China to have her own choice, own idea, own freedom ?

Nothing at all. But Chinese authoritarianism and the sort of democracy that Japan has had since WW2 are not compatible. The trends are also incompatible. China is becoming ever more authoritarian. State sponsored kidnapping, public trials in which your fate is already decided. Still takes place in China. Internet censorship. There new social system is 1984 come to life. Its big brother on steroids.

While in the West you still enjoy a good deal of autonomy, can still talk to their local representative (presume its the same in Japan?) are not yet spied on 24/7 (especially if you get out of the city), the internet is free and therefore highly innovative and we still have high standards of living. There are problems, mostly around identify politics which is causing a lot of friction, especially in the U.S.

International laws promotes peace among all people, all religion, all systems, why would disregard this law, a universal value ?

The only laws China believes in are ones that benefit China. They certainly don't believe in peace among all religions. Look at Xinjiang. Rapidly becoming an open air prison. Heavy troop presence. The cameras now monitor your every move once you leave the front door. If you're not at home, shopping or at work, you have a problem.

The time when Japan disregarded other nations, other people, was before WW2. What happened in the past must be a guidance for the future.

Japan is not disregarding any country.

 No nation is superior than others.

I think you will find that the Chinese nationalists, of which they're are hundreds of millions, absolutely think they are superior. In fact, Xi promotes that idea at every opportunity he gets along with state media.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

 Ignorance and bias are dangerous mix. China does one thing that no other nations ever do, changed one fifth world population from poverty to glory.

Much of the West lived in the same dire poverty as parts of Africa still do today not all that long ago. If you lived to 40 years of age, you were doing very well indeed. China put in place a mix of private and state capitalism to achieve their goals. The West did much the same in the past, but now its far more private than in China. We also had democratic politics, a more consistent approach to the rule of law and since the 50's and 60's a big emphasis on moving away from the colonism of the past. All the major European powers have gradually let there previous territories go independent, with a few exceptions. India being the most important. They still, by in large, retain the democratic model.

Both systems have succeeded in dragging people out of poverty, but I feel the Western model is better since it comes without the extreme authoritarian control in China.

In terms of Abe. I see his popularity is increasing so people obviously see him as a better leader than any alternative at this point.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Japan was a democratic nation and had good relations with Western countries long before WW2. Japan was opened up to trade with the West after Meiji restoration.  UK was a Japan's ally before WW1. Japan was a permanent member of the League of Nations before WW2.

True. I should have delved further back. I think there is a tendency for Westerners like me to see everything as pre and post WW2. Such a dramatic event of course.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Great news! Japan and France make natural allies and partners

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Matt Hartwell, Which international laws say, or Japanese constitution say, that Japan can only develop relationships with democratic nations ?

None. Nothing wrong with Japan having a positive relationship with China. The U.S is close to Saudi Arabia these days which is really kind of mind blowing. And despite all the rhetoric, trade between the U.S and China has never been higher.

Ultimately however if you wish to guarantee, or at least try to guarantee, your future as a free country where individuals have strong rights and an ability to have a say in political representation, then you're foremost concern is to see you tend to the relationship with other like minded countries.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Vernon WattsJan. 27 02:57 pm JST

Are you kidding me, France will have Japan's back in any conflict in the South China Sea?

What's that joke: I saw a French WWII rifle on eBay with the description: Never fired, dropped once...

Tell that to the members of the Resistance who fought for their freedom and died horribly at the hands of the Gestapo, or the Free French troops who fought on the side of the Allies and were among the first ashore in Normandy?

It is easy to take the mickey out of the French (and as an Englishman I often do) but the truth is they are capable of great courage and heroism as their history shows.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

GoodlucktoyouToday 09:59 am JST

their cooperation on regional security

which region is this? japan has an army in europe? france has an army in japan?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_French_islands_in_the_Indian_and_Pacific_oceans

4 ( +6 / -2 )

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_member_state_territories_and_the_European_Union#/media/File%3AEU_OCT_and_OMR_map_en.png

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I once visited Nouvelle-Calédonie and got talking to some locals. The French are not exactly that loved.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Are you kidding me, France will have Japan's back in any conflict in the South China Sea?

What's that joke: I saw a French WWII rifle on eBay with the description: Never fired, dropped once...

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

OssanAmerica, If Abe believes law and rules, why would he divide the world with his quadrilateral policy ? Why would he change the peace constitution ?

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Matt Hartwell, Which international laws say, or Japanese constitution say, that Japan can only develop relationships with democratic nations ?

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

their cooperation on regional security

which region is this? japan has an army in europe? france has an army in japan?

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Matt Hartwell, presumably you are a democratic minded freedom lover, then what is wrong for China to have her own choice, own idea, own freedom ? International laws promotes peace among all people, all religion, all systems, why would disregard this law, a universal value ?

The time when Japan disregarded other nations, other people, was before WW2. What happened in the past must be a guidance for the future. No nation is superior than others.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

Matt Hartwell, Abe feels he likes a westerner too. Obviously, you and Abe share the same value to divide this world by all means. Unfortunately, Abe changed recently. It is not proper for you to convince Japanese people to be against neighbors. Northeast Asians are not that stupid yet.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Matt Hartwell, Ignorance and bias are dangerous mix. China does one thing that no other nations ever do, changed one fifth world population from poverty to glory. That scares Abe a lot, to be honest. Abe is keep losing money, his arrows never reached target. Abe can't perform, he should be fired. All his security concern about China is just bluffing.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

france has done a pretty good job in Africa smashing it up and now a posters says they are good buddies to have because they have nuke attack subs?

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

Abe bluffs desperately, kind of extremist. Japan was fighting France in South China Sea before WW2, and now, the most conservative PM and a strong supporter of the extreme right wing group, invites France back to South China Sea. What kind of joke and betrayal.

-10 ( +1 / -11 )

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