US official urges Japan to boost defense spending to keep forces on ready status

I think that replacing the USS George Washington w/ a stripped USS Kitty Hawk, and allowing Japan to explore buying into a 4th/5th Generation fighter would have some support to boost defense spending. It would go a long way in Japan taking up slack in it's ability to defend the country w/out violating Article 9.

I could be the middleperson, w/ only 1% of gross receipts.

If the U.S. had any respect for Japanese defence progression, they would let Japan become a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

ready to run away status ? ready to fall asleep status ?

So the let's offer them those F-22s. Software free version so they can build it to their specs and load it themselves. No problem as long as its compatible with ours. They're gonna want mini-carriers in the future. Do they have any VTOL aircraft? Can we offer them something?

A little too eager to sell off some of our best tech, dont you think, Ossan? =P It took us long enough to sell our F-16s. I seriously doubt they'll be selling F-22s in the foreseeable future.

And the bloated and obscene budgets of the Pentagon increase (they can't even keep track of where it all goes, $$$billions are missing) while US defense war profiteers get filthy rich. There are $900 BILLION worth of new weapons projects in the works for the scumlords of war. Is that enough? Is this How Japan wants their Gov't to work, too?

Isn't this the third time in about four weeks? Regardless of any opinion on Japanese defense spending, for which there are many good ways as long as they fit in with what you want to achieve, this must be becoming a bit tedious. Someone in the Pentagon seems to think you have a hearing problem. Perhaps there is a good diplomatic phrase for explaining that you don't have?