Outta here comments

This policy has been a long time coming and is long overdue. Ever since Rudd dismantled Howard's Pacific solution the number of boats have skyrocketed to ridiculous proportions. Now in an attempt to stop the flow he comes up with this solution. Even after critiquing the opposition for their proposed tow back policy. Politics aside this is a good policy that should see the number of boats plummet and also benefit PNG as the get funding from Australia for law, education, and medical projects. And it needs to be remembered that this does mean Australia is refusing to take refugees or reducing our quotas but just that we no longer accept illegal boat refugees.

OssanAmerica

oh so Koreans, Taiwanese and other "colonials" had no brains?

What a very simplistic comment. Maybe some research on your behalf would be a good idea. Yes some Koreans and Taiwanese where as bad in there behaviour as the Japanese. But what was the reasoning behind their actions. If they didnt carry out Japanese orders to beat, kill people they themselves fell victim to Japanese brutality. Many good books go into these cases on l would recommend is called "sandakan" it is a book that details the Japanese murder of thousands of Australian POWs. The book also details the Korean guards actions during these crimes and how if they did not treat the prisoners bad,y the Japanese would see that as a weakness and execute the Korean guards. So for your to merely say oh they where as bad as the Japanese is none sense.

Japan has apologized countless times to all Asian nations.

Yeah and what a joke those apologies have been on one hand they apologise and on the other they deny their activities. On one hand they say sorry but then they have displays in their museums on how they where the victims. They say sorry yet gloss over the disgusting actions they performed. Yes the Japanese have apologised in generic terms but you ask a Japanese about places and events like sandakan, the tol massacre, the Stanley hospital massacre, the Thai Burma railway, the wake island massacre etc and they will not have a clue what you are on about. They like to have their generic "we are sorry" but that's it.

Even to China which has yet to apologize to Republic of Korea,Australia,Belgium,Canada,Colombia,Ethiopia,France,Greece,Luxembourg,Netherlands, New Zealand,Philippines,South Africa,Thailand,Turkey,United Kingdom,United States,Japan,Denmark, Italy,Norway,India,Sweden for killing UN troops on the Korean Penninsula.

I'm sorry but the ones that should apologise for this is one person and that person is Douglas MacArthur, he was the reason the Chinese entered the war, his actions caused the issue, he went against his own military and president in his actions, he threatened nuclear attacks on china, he invaded up to their border then wondered why they actively entered the war. Bt yes the Chinese do need to apologise for their actions once they did enter the war.

Surf O'Holic

The Senkakus are not china's sovereign territory.

You are correct, but they are also not Japan's sovereign territory either and even the US agrees on that point. Both sides need to sit down and discuss this like adults. Or get an impartial third party ruling.

Tamarama

Drawing comparisons to the guerilla style conflict of insurgent/freedom fighters in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the very conventional style army NK has - and the likely armed conflict scenario that would play out as a result, is very misguided.

Maybe you should have a closer look. Yes the Nth Korean military is largely setup as a conventional military as it was at the time of the Korean war. Much like the Iraqi military was and the nth vietnamese military was. And yes they are no match for the US however given the proximity of Seoul to the border a massive Nth Korean strike would likely decimate that city and the area. Before the US even responds. The Nth would then likely switch to a guerilla style war as they did in the Korean war after they started getting rolled back. Look at Iraq for example, their conventional army lasted days against the US but when they switched to guerilla warfare it lasted years.

NK will get it's a** handed to them. A coalition of South Korea, the US and whoever else might pitch in will devastate NK's standing armies and military infastructure. The country, which is already an impoverished basketcase, will be decimated. North Korea has lied to it's people for a loooong time, and created a completely delusional representation of what it is capable of. They will be lambs to the slaughter.

Yes they will but how many Seth Koreans and US people will also die?

You mean North Korea and China, right?

You do remember the nth Koreans almost defeated the south and the US troops stationed there prior to the Chinese entry.

Realistically the Nth cannot defeat the Sth and it's allies l agree. But how many Sth Koreans will be killed just to prove this point? And remember this the US has been fighting now for a decade it's military is tired, it's equipment getting worn out, it's budgets stretched and most importantly it's citizens tired of war. The US didn't like losing a couple of thousand lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. How will they feel loosing many more defending Korea? And will china sit back with a war on its borders. The chance of YS military bases on its borders? Really it's a no win for nth Korea but people sitting back saying the US will devastate the nth are forgetting 1 thing, all those that will die in the Sth and also the US personal and their families that will die as a result of a conflict.

OssanAmerica,

You really think so. Lol at least we can pay our military and don't have to cut back deployments, restrict movements, and cancel training and events. You really reckon you could buy us lol think not even the exchange rates in our favour...

Slumdog,

Oh l agree it was devistaring to those nations. No argument but were either a clear cut victory for the US. Iraq, it could be argued that the US was victorious. Time will tell. In Afghanistan definitely not..... Simple as that and I a third rate rebel group can stop the US what can a reasonably strong military do. And don't for a minute think that the Nth Koreans would be mad enough to get into set conventional battles with the US they would exploit the US weakness and that is guerilla warfare..

Ossanamerica,

Yes and the retaliation would be devastating for North Korea.

Oh really! The same US that struggled with insurgents in Iraq, the same US that will leave Afghanistan with its tail between its legs. The same US that is broke, the same US that has been forced to cancel carrier deployments due to funding, the same US that has stopped all military participation in air shows etc. and the same US that couldn't defeat nth Korea in the 50s. Sorry but that ridiculous.

This story made me laugh. Sadly this could only be deemed a good idea in the US of guns..... What happens when one of these armed sentinels goes of the rails. Maybe then they need guards to guard the guards....

Ah who to believe? A group that has lied since day one or an independent UN group? No brainier really only a fool would believe the j government

We have never said everybody should eat whale, but we have a long tradition and culture of whaling.

And this statement above all others shows the arrogance of the Japanese. We don't want everyone eating whale just us so we will continue to do as we please and ignore world opinion. All because we have some pretend long tradition and culture of whaling. What a joke. As l said this perfectly sums p the Japanese arrogance over this issue.

SamuriaBlue & CH3CHO,

You say l dont get it? Thats laughable you guys think the only way to research something is to kill it. Lets count the whales..... ok grab the harpoon..... Oh wait as Samuria said how do you do that they live under the sea..... OOPS. Samuria if you can harpoon a whale you can surely put a tracking device on it or get a biopsy sample. Australia has been doing it for years as have other nations. The only difference we dont use the research excuse as a way to fill our freezers.

LOL

Now countries that really conduct research on these animals use the following non lethal methods to count numbers and gain other key information. Visual and acoustic surveys, satellite tracking, biopsy sampling, faeces sampling and statistical modelling. The funny thing is your country already does use non lethal research it just does more lethal research to fill the freezers....

SamuraiBlue

Ok how are you going to count the number of whales at the age in their 20's, 30's 10's,etc. How about gender? Thatis what IWC is asking as further information so to discuss if whaling is sustainable. Sorry your analogy is busted.

LOL you really didnt think that one through now did you? How do you think all these other nations get this data through NON LETHAL research. They take samples from the animals thats how. Its amusing many nations can currently do it yet Japan cant seem to grasp it. But as everyone knows and as the Australian minister has just recently come out and said Japanese research whaling is a sham nothing more

CH3CHO

I do not see any logic in your comment. International community agreed in 1980's on the moratorium of commercial whaling until whale stock is estimated through scientific research whaling. Japan is collecting the data on whale stock through research whaling as agreed back then. What is "selfish" about Japan?

And l dont see the logic in yours. Let me ask you this. Do you need to kill something to count it? How do you count the population of Japan for example do you kill a percentage and then calculate from that or do you use non lethal methods to count?

The fact is when it comes to counting populations (whale, human or other) you do not use lethal research as a method. That is common sense, the IWC agrees, everyone agrees.... EXCEPT JAPAN! Now what does that say. Is Japan more interested in research or putting meat in the freezer? I know the answer, the world knows the answer yet Japan continues this charade...

CH3CHO

Lethal counting is the method accepted by scientific committee of IWC.

Funny that, the IWC actually has said you dont have to kill whales to count them. Your comment is akin the justifying the Japanese government killing its citizens just to count how many there are. Both illogical and laughable excuses

To keep the tradition of whale eating, Japan needs resumption of commercial whaling.

Fine but do the whaling around your own nation simple as that.

Do you know the distance between Australia and the Antarctic Continent is as wide as that between Canadian and Mexican boarder of the US? Japan owes nothing to Australia as long as whaling is concerned.

Actually its less! The distance from our southern most territory to the antarctic is less than you claim. But out of curiosity what is the distance from Japan to the Antarctic by comparison......

iceshoecream

"Japan is an island nation surrounded by the sea, so taking some good protein from the ocean is very important." Then why don't you do it around that ocean that surrounds you? But no you gotta go down to almost Australia to do it.

Well said. Problem is like locust the Japanese first devour and strip the resources from around their own nation then move on to other regions and do the same...

Probie,

Did you miss this: the United States’ largest federal court labeled them pirates. Killing whales isn't illegal, attacking people is.

And l guess you missed the bit where Australia's highest court said that the Japanese actions (whaling in the southern ocean) where illegal. So which is more important an American ruling or an Australian one? Seems the Japanese are more than happy to ignore the australian ruling because it goes against them but scream murder at SS is ignoring the US ruling. Mind you they are ignoring an American ruling because it is baseless. Australian and Dutch flagged ships captained by Australians crewed by international crews. Hehe. US law is irrelevant.

Than that l mean

Lol l would have had Japan much lower than hat

Abe said that no one contested Japan’s sovereignty between 1895, when Tokyo annexed the islands, and 1971

Funny but the US you "robust" ally doesn't even side with you on the sovereignty question......

A least the US is handling this. May be done a bit more competently than the Japanese handled their nuclear disaster. If the US needs advise just refer to the Japanese method and do the opposite should solve any issues..

USNinJapan2

"I thought it was for science." Yes, the science of researching sustainable whaling and the potential to retain whale as a part of the human diet. How is that so hard for you to understand?

Obviously it's extremely hard to understand. Especially when your own countries government calls the Japanese actions "commercial whaling in disguise". And that was only part of what your own IWC people said I the congressional a hearings on the matter. I guess your own government is at odds with your position USN

All l can say is lm glad I left Japan when I did or l would be in big trouble. In the 2 years we where there we didn't watch Japanese tv once rather just downloaded all our fab shows, music and movies. Looking back l think l would be in major trouble under these new laws. But hey not much they can do now.....

OssanAmerica,

It's amusing how you say Japan's 70 years of peace make up for decades of militarism and then try to throw some mud and call the Chinese aggressors by citing a conflict a mere 800+ years ago. Wow that's a stretch and a half

You kidding, there is no way this airline should have been in the top five let alone number one. I would personally put emirates, etihad, and Singapore ahead of this mob. Even Korean is nicer IMHO. Having flow quite a lot in recent years l tend to steer well clear of ANA.

Oh and Serrano the seats in business on Singapore recline into flat beds

I sincerely hope that china continues to treat Japan with the same disdain that Japan is treating Australia with. Japan complains and calls it regrettable when a Chinese vessel enters its claimed EEZ yet has no qualms about sending JCG vessels not only into Australia EEZ but also our territorial waters ..... Double standards japan.....

Basroil,

Not at all, they might state in the news they dislike it, but they only launch formal complaints when fishing boats are fishing in the area, or ships violate contiguous and territorial waters. And unlike Australia's self declared Antarctic territorial waters

Hey there basroil at least some countries recognise our claim unlike Japan's self declared unrecognised sovereignty claims... Hehe funny one Bazza.....

USNinJapan2,

The answer to your question is simple. For the same reason that they didnt last year even when the Japanese entered our territorial waters and refused to leave when it was demanded that they did. We didnt have any vessels in the area. See most of our military and customs vessels are located in the north of our country dealing with the illegal Indonesia fishing and also the illegal boat people. Which leaves the nearest naval or customs vessels large enough to make the journey in Sydney or Perth. There is also a matter of cost associated with doing it and the hope that maybe the Japanese would respect our borders. But that is looking unlikely.

But as a career naval officer you would know better right. Phhh so your a career naval officer... Your also a pilot if I'm not mistaken!!!!

USNinJapan

No, you couldn't be more wrong. The ships aren't welcome in the EEZ but they have the legal right to be there because Australia has no legal jurisdiction over foreign ships there who are not doing something that has to do with the natural resources found in the EEZ. The whalers are/were only transiting through the EEZ en route to the hunting grounds and were not hunting any whales inside the EEZ so Australia is merely expressing their dissatisfaction over their presence which is all they can legally do.

I will point it out to you AGAIN as you seem to have trouble understanding the very law you are refering to. Under the rules regarding EEZ's ships may transit unhindered as long as they abide by the rules that are internationally recognised. This instance just like the ones last year where in breach of these laws. Yes vessels can transit however like last time these vessels where not transiting they where following another vessel into these waters and not leaving. It was not merely going through the EEZ on its journey. Imagine if you will a US vessel following a Chinese vessel into the Chinese EEZ. What would happen.... Oh thats right it would be forcefully removed. And before you go quoting about EEZ's my country already seizes vessels in our EEZ that are merely transiting... Indonesian fishing vessel, people smuggling vessels etc. Maybe we should do the same to this JCG vessel. Maybe we should board it and tow it to the nearest port to determine its intentions afterall we do it all the time in our northern EEZ.....

"It is no different to the Chinese ships around Sengoku islands." Oh I hadn't realized that this article is about China and Japan's territorial dispute. Off topic Mods?

LOL its not, the poster is merely showing the hypocrisy of the Japanese.... They bleat and moan when a Chinese vessel enters their self declared EEZ but doesnt blink an eye at repeated violating not only Australia's EEZ but also last year our Territorial waters....

Its also amusing that those posters on here that bemoan the Chinese the loudest (you included) are also the loudest condemning Australia and defending Japanese actions...

USNinJapan2

Firstly the vessel was asked to leave these waters just like it was last year. Now the Australian government has ordered it leave and again the Japanese are ignoring this. Just like they did last year when they actually entered our territorial waters on several occasions.

First of all, the Japanese ships are not entering Australia's territorial waters (<12nm), they are entering Australia's EEZ (<200nm). As long as the Japanese whaling ships don't actually engage in whaling inside the EEZ they have every right to transiting through or loiter there as long as they like. It's called 'innocent passage' and it's the right of all vessels. In addition, Australia does not have the legal right to restrict or prohibit what is carried aboard foreign ships in their EEZ (not territorial waters), i.e. Australia can't tell a Japanese whaler that it can't enter its EEZ because it has whale meat/parts aboard.

Actually if you bothered to read the rules regarding "innocent passage" it specifically states that "any other activity not having a direct bearing on passage" is inconsistent with the actual "innocent passage" you mention.

The Chinese para-military ships that you refer to actually enter the territorial waters (>12nm) surrounding the disputed islands and are therefore considered by Japan to violate its sovereign territory. BIG difference.

Big difference hey! Lets see the vessel that is australian waters is carrying JCG officers and is a security vessel. Therefore it is a para military vessel. It has entered territorial waters, did so on many occasions last year. And for the record there have been several instances reported on this very site of Chinese vessels entering the EEZ only around the Japanese claimed islands and posters have got up in arms over that as has the j government. I guess it's ok for the Japanese to do it to Australia but when china does it to Japan it's a terrible regrettable incident. Two faced at best. And the funniest thing is that the Japanese want a defence agreement with us to help with the Chinese issue...... Maybe the Japanese government should read the Australian media and the comments by the Australian public regarding this latest violation by the Japanese to gauge our feelings on the matter...

And meantime the Japanese whalers have again entered australian waters around Macquarie island. Funny how the Japanese carry on when the Chinese enter their claimed waters. Seems they don't like others doing it to them but are happy doing it to others