David Elson comments

This is similar to the agreement between Australia and Japan also.

So sadly while these FTAs are still a win, it is only a small win for Korean, Australian and Japanese consumers and investors.

More freedom, one tiny little step at a time.

So how is the world enjoying the US staying out of things for awhile?

Might be time for Japan to step up, abandon it's ultranationalist views and become the adult in the room. Now that the US has abdicated it's throne.

Obviously this means keeping the Abe-super high levels of defense spending but it also means showing a willingness to compromise on key territorial issues. Speak softly and carry a big stick in fact.

If not a willingness to compromose on claims, why not admin it but agree to develop in conjunction with other regional powers. The situation as it cobtinues is untenable with more than just Japanese pride on the line.

It would seem that the Japan-Russia dispute won't be resolved anytime soon either.

Sadly this reminds me of the situation before WW2. Lots of regionsl powers with conflicting interests (in this case disputes between Japan, Taiwan, Korea, China, Russia and an absent USA).

It would only take one crazed nationalistic fanatic to ignite the fuel, initiating WW3 and then all the hard won prosperity of the people of Asia would be over.

David, if you really think that Yonaguni can be taken "back" by China (i.e., that this island was once Chinese), then the CCP propaganda has reached a new level. Like the Senkaku islands

My statement was in reference to this outpost helping Japan hang on to disputed territory they'd conquered more recently, not speifically that the land this base is on is fair game (apologies if this wasn't clear).

Although if one accepts the logic behind Japan's claims (and to some extent China); 'might is right', either now or at some stage in the past.

The only redeeming is that these guys are limiting themselves to squabbling over historical boundaries. Of course if WW3 were declared this would mean nought.

. Sorry, reality is different and reality is that China can NOT grab whatever territory it wants in the Pacific by just doing it. It wont happen. Not now and not ever again. They had their time in the sun as an empire. those days are gone

That second statement could be used to accurately describe Japan also.

The question is if Japan grabbed this land once before is it really so wrong for China to grab it back? I would say yes, if it's likely to result in WW3. Why not work together to jointly develop/admin the disputed zones?

If he'd lost credibility, people wouldn't need his assurance. The US overall however has lost credibility, due to it's inability to function without fighting itself tooth an nail over every single decision. Particularly when it's decisions like trying to have everyone insured, something the rest of the first world takes as a base minimum of how to treat their people. Hard to respect anyone who would fight that

While important domestically it's doubtful the rest of the world is interested in America's policies pertaining to universal health care, welfare (or lack there of) and reliance on food stamps for much of the population.

What America's allies have noticed is despite all the tough talking, they've done nothing to prevent strategic rivals from stripping territory from nations friendly to the USA.

Given Japan's own disputes with China, SKorea Russia and Taiwan it's understandable that they'd sit up and take notice of this inaction. A stay at home USA may be a prelude to an intensifying arms race in Asia.

Where there any Japanese Coast Ships even in close proximity to the ferry at the time of the disaster or is this story just a beat up in an attempt to provoke tensions between SKorea and Japan?

The fact that this info was leaked by Japanese officials toedia would suggest the latter.

The real winners are Australian families, rather than our farmers/exporters, as they'll soon be able to purchase family vehicles (needed to traverse our large landmass) at greatly reduced prices (well more or less).

This is more likely to occur now we have an FTA with Korea and possibly another FTA with China soon.

Although it's worth pointing out the irony that much of Australia's large scale ag producers are owned by Japanese firms (ie; Nippon Meats, Dairy Farmers).

Let's hope they can finally find this thing and figure out the human factor behind the crash.

At least it would seem that the Australian PMs confidence is not so misplaced as that of Malaysia as to where the plane was supposed, by them,to have crashed.

Also the timing couldn't be better.

The goodwill from helping the Chinese find their hundred or so victims from the missing Malaysian Airlines flight will assist Australia in securing further trade and military agreements with China.

Personally I am more interested in hearing what actually happened than the political windfall. The number of 'this is how it must have whappened!' stories in the MSM, all contradictory with each other and the facts (as known so far) has been a little obscene.

Thanks Japan, please jail this criminal ASAP!

Free speech should be protected..

But attacking school children on the basis of race... never!

US is struggling to pay the bills, interest of sky rocketting debt and wages of public servants at the moment. It is not the national interest or economic benefit for minding other business. Actually Senkaku was a US territory before. US does not want and leaving disputed nations for settlement. Will Japan and Australia join US forces for another adventure in the middle east? Likely answer is NO. Therefore American blood and money should not be wasted for Japan and Australia interest. >

Two questions;

1) how are the disputes Islands' Australia's interest?

2) What makes you think that Japan would be so aggressive in defending their perceived territory if America wasn't backing their security to the hilt?

No one would benefit from WW3, but Japan will benefit if it can maintain it's existing maritime territory (bountiful natural resources lay beneath the sea), and America certainly benefits if it's number one economic competitior is contained and restrained within a ring of America's allies (Taiwan, Japan, SKorea, Filipines; with Vietnam recently being added to the list).

I can see China has its eye on retrieving long lost territories, but regardless of any long forgotten treaties, if Japan and America don't agree, China just won't be getting it back (same goes for Taiwan).

Suits them!

Japan has been instrumental in China's rise. You would do very well to remember that.

Agreed. And a lot of the manufacturing occurring in China today still uses tech licensed from Japanese firms (where acquired legally). I'd say China has a lot more to gain in keeping their heads down than provoking USA/Japan into a war they cant win.

China's modern prosperity is built on trade (replacing America, Germany and Japan as the 'world's factory'), it would be relatively easy for America and her allies to block all trade and send China back to the 70s. Thus aside from rattling the sabre I dont see China taking the first strike. Too much to lose, too little to gain.

America, its just one of phycological and racial conditions.

Similar culture and history, not exactly race.

People outside of China and America take it for granted that nations must obey the international laws. China has not reached the stage of recognizing international laws, whereas the sole ruling super power USA makes and breaks international laws as it sees fit.

There. FIFY. Sadly I dont this will end well. History has show what happens when rising stars tangle with falling super powers and it's not pretty. Why cant every one shelve the endless disputes and focus on trade and internation exchanges.

Why not allow shared access to maritime areas? ~ whether it's the disputed islands between Japan-Korea, Japan-Russia, Jap-Taiwan, Japan-China, China-Everyone.

So time to wind back the last remaining protections in Asia & US?

The Australian are still on the American leash, else Australia will not form alliance with Japan

If you are surprised why the Australian-American security relationship is so strong than go back and consult that history you referred to, the one where the US saved Aus from Imperial Japan.

As for the relationship with Japan and China, Aus is heavily dependent on both for trade and tourism, so we wont be the ones promoting any wars, containment policy or island stealing (unless the US says 'go' which may be inevitable).

Well if the world is ever going to move to a low emissions future.... maybe the rest of the world needs to pull the finger out and buy from this salesman

Not exactly.. china sea and some small islands definitely, the world? Definitely not.

Remember: Most Japanese people spent almost every day of their teen years wearing a school uniform

This is true for many countries... and yet... no other nation (appears to) have this association between sexuality and underage school girl uniforms.....

They are not celebrating war by holding training exercises, they are training to defend the nation and its people from an invasion and the article even stated that, how can you construe a training exercise into being a celebration of war? >

The article also mentions that this is a display, not a training mission...

Designed more as a spectacle than a training opportunity>

All countries have a right to self defense, as does Japan currently under it's constitution... what no one wants to see is the return to the bad old days (revered by some Japanese rightists) experienced by Japans neighbours...

So... by the logic displayed by this thread... Japan (who only ever cared about the well being of Taiwan) should return the disputed islands to Taiwan.

Izumo could be used to ferry their new/old owners across.

We don't see people questioning why Star Wars are named as Star Wars.

Because it involves conflict amongst the stars?

If you had the choice of going to court and potentially losing your island or not going and keeping it for sure, which would you choose?

When will diaoyu go to court?

“The Chinese navy must grow into a blue water navy because all of the aggression against China in modern times came from the sea,” >

He's not wrong... however I cant imagine China being able to defend itself against a combined naval and arial attack from America.

(Although a naval blockae not an invasion would be all that's needed to bring down an import/export nation like China)

If you ban, this will still happen, then what? Ban kids?

Yet abused/dead kids still end up in the news.

Second of all, I do not really understand why they think it is provocation of Japan to ROK. No country cannot interfere to Japanese internal administration.

And what was the motivation of Japanese officials travelling the country and contacting multiple Japanese citizens in an official capacity.

Clearly trying to promote and keep the issue alive?

What if German officials were to criss cross Deutschland asking their citizens if Prussia should be returned? Should Poland consider this to be provocation?

It is unlikely that Japan will be able to reconqure these islands with a short prefecture notice this time. Why not drop the issue and encourage cooperation with SKorea to help balance out China in the region? Or better yet learn to live along these two powers in peace?

How would South Korea like it if Japan officially protested every time Koreans

That already happens...

It is China that is breaching the Cairo and Potsdam declarations, as it was the ROC which represented China then, and it is China that is breaching the 1951 San Francisco Treaty. China (and you) are simply posing false information to justify taking Japanese territory

That's ok, if it makes it easier you can return the territory to the peaceful and democratic Republic of China (Taiwan).

There are plenty of USA made video games where Japan is the enemy...

This would be more interesting if they allowed Japanese gamers to play this online and counter China's attempt to reconqure the disputed island...

Kind of like Battlefield BC2 (a game that allows players to fight against the US) except on a more international level. The winner gets the Island for real.

Or all parties to the dispute could just grow up and jointly develop the resources surrounding the dispued islands (hadn't they agreed to do this once before?) WW3 benefits no one.