politics

U.S. approves missile sales to South Korea, Japan

16 Comments
By Jared HALLAHAN

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16 Comments
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Wow, the cost of killing people and destroying our planet .

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Thank you, United States.

Please sell missiles that can target Takeshima base if possible.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Gee, the US sure makes a lot of money off this war stuff. Makes one question why they would ever be committed to peace.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Answers for Cosmos1, Travelmaster and commanteer.

What the U.S. is going to sell to Japan. They're anti-aircraft missiles for defense. They have no offensive capability, nor can they target anyone.

Read the news first to understand what the article says. No one is going to be attacked with these missiles. Simply because they serve to attack no one.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Dougthehead.

What the U.S. is going to sell to Japan. They're anti-aircraft missiles for defense. They have no offensive capability, nor can they target anyone.

Does it mean they cannot be launched to target a commercial airline, military installation or any non missile target.?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

These are defensive systems, only being procured by Japan (and South Korea) because of the offensive threats and weapon systems from the states around them. I suggest you direct your ire at those causing the threat not those forced to defend their people from them.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Good buy. However, Japan needs a lot more equipment. The US should sell Japan:

1) B1b- Bomber- A good anti ship platform.

2) B2 Bomber- Japan needs a bomber.

3) B21 Bomber- Japan needs another bomber.

4) An ICBM

0 ( +2 / -2 )

 They have no offensive capability, nor can they target anyone.

Thank you, dougthehead13

I understand that it is an interceptor missile.

I wrote a joke.

Please, Imagine anger making a red face and checking a negative button ...

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

More money to the US military industrial complex.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

@commanteer.

Do you know how much one missile cost?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I wonder what would happen if the US, however imperfect, stopped policing the world's seas and providing the relatively just and law-abiding countries with deterrents like this?

I see a world that the America-bashers and peaceniks wouldn't like very much...

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

More arms sales from a warmongering nation. However, only the nations we, the US, say can have a defence system can have a defence system. We will only allow nations that advance our dictatorship have weapons, the rest we will invade and/or sanction.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Japan isn't buying ground-to-air missiles. They are buying air-to-air missiles. These can be used offensively.

SK is buying ground-to-air missiles. These are solely useful for defensive purposes.

Of course, both weapons systems can be use to target non-military aircraft. I don't lose any sleep about either Japan or SK having these systems when flying private or commercial over/near their countries. Accidentally shot down commercial airliners: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_airliner_shootdown_incidents

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@dougthehead13

What the U.S. is going to sell to Japan. They're anti-aircraft missiles for defense. They have no offensive capability, nor can they target anyone.

AMRAAM is the standard US air-to-air missiles for US fighter jets.

The reason Japan is buying this is because the F-35 can't be fitted with Japan's own AAM-4 missile, which equipped Japan's front line fighters until now.

Japan is giving up on local production of fighter jets and are turning to importation of all its fighters. The biggest problem with this is that imported fighter jets can't use Japan's domestic weapons without a specific integration process, which is exceptionally costly and difficult for the F-35 due to its secrecy. We are looking at at least $50 million and 8 years for basic weapons, more for a guided weapon like AAM-4.

Just another example of Japan closing the door on its domestic weapon and turning to imported weapon.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Samit Basu May 19 04:54 am JST

Japan is giving up on local production of fighter jets and are turning to importation of all its fighters.

Just another example of Japan closing the door on its domestic weapon and turning to imported weapon.

Japan has three serious problems with military weapons systems in the future. The logistical problem, the political problem and the legal problem.

The logistical problem is that a new weapon system takes approximately 30 years to build. From the initial design phase to the production phase. Not to mention the bureaucratic problems that have to be overcome in the chamber of the National Diet. Where the political authorisation of this new weapon has to be approved. Time that Japan does not have because its main enemies are rearming much faster. And 30 years of waiting, that's too long for this changing world. They should have started a long time ago to start rearming.

In this situation the best thing Japan can do is to buy US weapons already tested in combat. Where they are already being produced in large quantities. He has no choice.

The legal problem is Article 9 of the constitution itself. It legally forbids him to love himself. If Japan is doing this it is because the absolute majority of LDP legislators in the Diet. They deliberately ignore the existence of Article 9 by creating legislative laws of dubious constitutionality. And since the opposition parties do not have the legislative capacity to discard these laws in parliament. Given their low voter turnout. The laws that are approved are not discarded, making lasting laws that go against the harmony of the pacifist clause.

And finally the political problem. In Japan there are many political, civic and civil entities that strongly oppose not allowing any kind of rearmament of the country. Entities such as the Hiroshima Peace Museum will protest any military plan contrary to the Article 9 mandate. These organizations will do everything possible to prevent the development of any kind of national armament by the government. This is the sad reality. Which means yes for a country that has no military restrictions like France. It takes 30 years to develop new weapons systems. A country like Japan you have to add another 10 years to reach 40. Just for the problems mentioned above.

Taking this perspective. Buying material from the US or other NATO allies. It is the most realistic option that Japan has right now. At least it avoids having to deal with the obstacles that the pacifist organizations of the country will surely put up. Having a weapon created abroad without any type of legislative and constitutional obstacle such as Article 9.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Russia, China, and NK are installing thousands of mid range ballistic missiles. South Korea and Japan are buying about 250 missiles from the US. It is not the most desirable use of funds, but what choice do SK and Japan have? The American nuclear umbrella will probably prevent a nuclear war in the region, but the threat of conventional missiles has to be met with other conventional weapons, both offensive and defensive.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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