More than anything, I think that the Japanese statements amount to political pressure. Here we have Japan (and not the United States) coming out with the strongest statement against North Korea. Japan has relatively good relations with Russia. Russia's insistence on making any and all UN resolutions utterly pointless ... well, that's a position they may have to rethink.

Both Koreas are very much against the idea of Japan nullifying/amending the portion of their Constitution that disallows them an offensive military force. China is especially against such a move. But Kim Jong Il's actions are creating enough fear in Japan, that in all likelihood, the Japanese people and their government will believe that they have no choice.

Now, as for the feasability of a purely Japanese pre-emptive stike? No, I don't think that Japan truly capable of pulling it off. But let's bear in mind that the Japanese government fully realizes this, and their inability is going to scare them. It's going to lead them to insist upon building that very capacity into their military within the very near future.

What we are seeing, is the Japanese playing politics more than anything.

Originally Posted by the_13th_redneck

But let us also remind ourselves that North Korea has perhaps one of the densest anti-aircraft defense networks... maybe in the world.

Yeah but isn't it also among the most outdated in the world?

Originally Posted by the_13th_redneck

Remember that South Korea and Japan's coast guards either faced off or nearly faced off because of an island dispute (Korean name: Dok-do, Japanese name: Takeshima). A few months ago there was rumor going on that South Korea and Japan could actually go to war.

Wow, that is scary!

Originally Posted by the_13th_redneck

The idea of Japanese F-2s (that's what they call their F-16s) landing in a South Korean Air Force base after an airstrike deep inside North Korea is about as realistic as The Lord of The Rings.

I thought so.

Originally Posted by the_13th_redneck

In the event that Japan does attack North Korea, you could have a strange situation where South Korea actually HELPS defend North Korea. The Korea-Japan hatred is a lot deeper than most of you will ever understand.

I knew there was some resentment and outrage in Korea about the Japanese PM honoring the fallen war heroes/criminals of WW2 but until now I thought it was mostly superficial!

Originally Posted by the_13th_redneck

Because of the current and the previous administration, the current South Korean sentiment towards North Korea is an unhealthy one where there is too much understanding and caring for the North Koreans. It's like these people don't understand that ultimately the missiles are for us.

Surely the missiles are meant as a deterrent and if nobody threatens to conquer North Korea they will remain in their silos/on their TELs/launch ramps.

Originally Posted by the_13th_redneck

If there is a war in Korea any time before June of next year, I'll be fighting in it. But if we're going to have one, we might as well have one while I'm here.

In that case, I would wish you good luck and hope you'll survive it.

Originally Posted by sandy

Who minds NK extinction.
abduct an ordinary citizen

So you mind that North Korean citizens are abducted but don't mind the destruction of those citizens?

Originally Posted by sandy

making threat against world peace

There is no such thing as world peace. Also, there's a number of other powers out there who are doing everything to keep warring in their region, unlike North Korea, which is testing missiles.

So you mind that North Korean citizens are abducted but don't mind the destruction of those citizens?

I mean that Citizen of foreign country
For examples,SK Japan France Thailand Malaysia China etc etc.
Of course,Kim is killing people of NK.

There is no such thing as world peace. Also, there's a number of other powers out there who are doing everything to keep warring in their region, unlike North Korea, which is testing missiles.

As FOX news reported,
NK help Iran,s developing of ballistic missile tecnology and dispatches one's nuclear engineers to Iran.
This TEST will make taepodong more expensive for wild urchin.
This is the action against world peace,Right?
What will happen if Iran get ballistic missile with nuclear warhead?

The difference between attack and defense is in the eye of the beholder.

Damn right. We are called the Australian Defence Force..... but we've been fighting other peoples wars since forever. Defence force just sounds better than Attack force..... but in truth thats what the Australian military does, so there is no reason the Japanese Defence Force would be any different.

Originally Posted by sandy

I mean that Citizen of foreign country
For examples,SK Japan France Thailand Malaysia China etc etc.
Of course,Kim is killing people of NK.

Really? I didn't know that.

Originally Posted by sandy

As FOX news reported,
NK help Iran,s developing of ballistic missile tecnology and dispatches one's nuclear engineers to Iran.
This TEST will make taepodong more expensive for wild urchin.
This is the action against world peace,Right?
What will happen if Iran get ballistic missile with nuclear warhead?

This is true.But most world powers sell weapons technologies to dictators.

Originally Posted by AussieNick

Damn right. We are called the Australian Defence Force..... but we've been fighting other peoples wars since forever. Defence force just sounds better than Attack force..... but in truth thats what the Australian military does, so there is no reason the Japanese Defence Force would be any different.

You want the Japanese military to be a SELF Attack Force??

Last thing we need is a military powered up japan. That's just going to make china spend more on defense and that will ripple throughout the world. The best thing to do is go for diplomacy, kim just wants $$$. Like the deal Iran is being offered to stop enrichment, that's what NK wants.

Think about it, if NK did attack they could be ruined and china and south korea wouldn't have much to say in NK's defense in that scenario. Pre emptive strikes as proved by the Bush doctrine are no good, it's a little nation in reality, just talk to them.

I know international leaders aren't going to look this thread up but i think this makes sense. The best thing in the region is calm and good relationships.

Originally Posted by WarMachine

Last thing we need is a military powered up japan. That's just going to make china spend more on defense and that will ripple throughout the world.

Isn't China needlessly beefing up their military right now anyways? Better to have strong American and Japanese militaries ready to move when China tries something stupid to destabilize the region (eg. Taiwan).

Originally Posted by WarMachine

The best thing to do is go for diplomacy, kim just wants $$$. Like the deal Iran is being offered to stop enrichment, that's what NK wants.

Didn't we try that with the Clinton admin? Who's to say Kim won't rattle the sabers again when his credit card is declined X years from today?

Isn't China needlessly beefing up their military right now anyways?

warMachine means chinese will get a perfect excuse to spend much more than what they spend right now.

the matter of prime importance needed be dealt with is to make sure N Korean will never become a country which possess some nuclear weapons.
the idea of pre-emptive strike on North Korea will push Kim Jong Il to accelerate the speed of building nuclear weapon.

it is very difficult that American government has to deal with Iran, NKorea and Irag at same time.

The NK wants a goods deal like iran is being offered because they're desperate at this point. In the clinton administration NK was being isolationist and their problems didn't get out of control like now. Rather than appear weak, Kim is trying to strong arm aid to his country since he would apparently get more goods that way than if he just asked for international assistance.

China would want stability in the region as well since they're the only ones that can really do anything diplomatically with NK and Beijing is being more and more pressured to help solve the problem. Japan's LDP government isn't helping the situation, it's like no one wants to do it unilaterally, but everyone has a different idea of what sort of multilateral solution is necessary.

Originally Posted by WarMachine

The NK wants a goods deal like iran is being offered because they're desperate at this point. In the clinton administration NK was being isolationist and their problems didn't get out of control like now. Rather than appear weak, Kim is trying to strong arm aid to his country since he would apparently get more goods that way than if he just asked for international assistance.

i.e. blackmail...

Originally Posted by WarMachine

China would want stability in the region as well since they're the only ones that can really do anything diplomatically with NK and Beijing is being more and more pressured to help solve the problem. Japan's LDP government isn't helping the situation, it's like no one wants to do it unilaterally, but everyone has a different idea of what sort of multilateral solution is necessary.

It's evident in the last couple of years the six-party nuclear talks that China does not want a stable NK. If China really wanted this problem to be resolved, it would have happened years ago. Why? Because China is NK's only allie and primary source of sustainance. Whatever China says, NK will fly with it. If China really wanted this problem to be resolved, they would have allowed the use of military force if NK failed to comply with the UN resolution passed by pretty much the entire UNSC (minus China and Russia of course: no surprise there). China does not want a stable NK because an unstable NK means reunification with SK and that would pretty much mean Korea will be allied with the US, which would mean China would be surrounded by nations friendly to the US. A volatile and unpredictable NK means China has them in their pocket. Bottom line, China is pretty much dragging its foot on this issue. Ask me again why so many posters on this forum is not too fond of the CCP...