Re arming of Japan,

Yossarian

Forum Resistance Leader
So I have been seeing a trend that apparently though small is growing in Japanese public opinion. The topic of discussion is re organizing Japan's Defense forces to give them an offensive capability. Currently as we all know Japan's military is structured to defend the home Islands, a has no real way to project power far from said Islands.

But some in Japan seem to wish to have an offensive capability such as the U.S. China or even India in the general region. This would be a departure from the past 70 years since the last time Japan had any offensive forces.

The justification right now is that Japan's regional conflict over un populated islands both with China, and in the North with Russia, along with a more unpredictable North Korea , that Japan should have offensive forces as both a deterrent and a option to bolster Japan's position in security measures.


What do you folks here on the forum think of this idea and movement? Currently little has actually taken place, but re tooling and slight re arming would all that would be needed to do so along with possible Japanese legislation allowing such.

Would a militarily independent Japan bolster security in the region? And possible be a counter weight to Chinese forays here? Or spark an arms race catching maybe the U.S. in the middle?

-Yo.
 
increasing the defensive/offensive military power of any country who is against the US enemies, for example Russia, China, North Korea,Iran ... will be a good benefit for the US. Japan, South Korea, Ukraine, Israel... are examples.
 
increasing the defensive/offensive military power of any country who is against the US enemies, for example Russia, China, North Korea,Iran ... will be a good benefit for the US. Japan, South Korea, Ukraine, Israel... are examples.


I think one aspect proponents of this idea have for an independent defense force, would be in light of declining U.S. presence in the region for whatever reason. Being less reliant on the U.S. for Japan's total security needs could be a good move should the U.S. begin scaling back it's forces there.

It's fairly blurry trying to see the future based on this assumption however that's one agruement on the table, especially with new factors such as the increased Chinese military activity in the region recent years.

However for decades small groups of Japanese have expressed outright distaste for any U.S. troops at all in the country, for them a fully independent military is the only choice. In any case it does seem the war guilt is wearing off.
 
Well the old guard has to be pretty much dead by now. I think Japan has been an ally to the US for some time. It might help reduce the burden to our Pacific fleet and armed forced in general. Perhaps it's time they take care of themselves. After all they will have their hands full with China and N Korea.
 
Well the old guard has to be pretty much dead by now. I think Japan has been an ally to the US for some time. It might help reduce the burden to our Pacific fleet and armed forced in general. Perhaps it's time they take care of themselves. After all they will have their hands full with China and N Korea.


I feel it would be in the long term beneficial, I don't have any concerns about Japan performing and about face on their ties with the U.S. any time soon. I feel after decades of training together and working together both politically and even in a civil sense with various disasters over the years Japan and the U.S. could work just as well together with Japan taking the lead for security in the region as the Americans currently do now. Also many military services contracts on weapons platforms and other equipment needs could be dealt out to the Japanese defense establishment from the U.S. as well.

Sometimes it pays to have a strong ally somewhere in the world. The U.S. could bring back some of it's forces currently there for refit, rest and or sent elsewhere where they are in need. That seems like a good outcome in this situation.
 
I think one aspect proponents of this idea have for an independent defense force, would be in light of declining U.S. presence in the region for whatever reason. Being less reliant on the U.S. for Japan's total security needs could be a good move should the U.S. begin scaling back it's forces there.

It's fairly blurry trying to see the future based on this assumption however that's one agruement on the table, especially with new factors such as the increased Chinese military activity in the region recent years.

However for decades small groups of Japanese have expressed outright distaste for any U.S. troops at all in the country, for them a fully independent military is the only choice. In any case it does seem the war guilt is wearing off.

As the third strongest economy in the word , having the advanced technology and enough wealth, and considering the threatens from Russia, China and North Korea, Japan should/could have a strong army. But any sudden change in Japan defensive policies will causes to a weapons competition in the east Asia and maybe in the world. the world order which is based on WWII results maybe is unfair but mostly don't want to do a risk to change it.
 
Been to Japan , hard working people polite for the most part be a stretch to say they are friendly , the U.S is footing the bill for their military structure which is a nice Bennie for the Japs , my read is if the Japanese wanted to get mean they could in a very short time .
 
Article 9 Prohibiting the use of Japanese troops on Foreign soil is being scrutinized before the Japanese Congress by Prime Minister Abde this month I believe.

He is calling for revisions allowing Japanese military personal to serve around the world for now in counter terrorism and refugee aid missions.

But it's quick to point out his eyes are focused as well on dozens of small Islands that are a trending area of dispute between Japan and China as well as to the North With Russia.
 
I never knew that any member of the Japanese defence force can quit when they want, I just googled the forces.
They may have some impressive kit but retention is a problem and the forces are looked down upon as opposed to looking up at them with pride.
 
I never knew that any member of the Japanese defence force can quit when they want, I just googled the forces.
They may have some impressive kit but retention is a problem and the forces are looked down upon as opposed to looking up at them with pride.


With recent beheadings by ISIS of two Japanese citizens, an although small but growing part of the Japanese citizenry are starting to look at the Armed Forces with a bit more nationalistic pride.

Although as stated small the more hawk like parties in Japan seem to be taking advantage of the situation and are much more actively lately.

But regardless times are indeed changing, It seems they mood over Japan's armed forces is changing from seeing them as a last resort if you don't make it to university to an prideful way to serve your country.
 
So I have been seeing a trend that apparently though small is growing in Japanese public opinion. The topic of discussion is re organizing Japan's Defense forces to give them an offensive capability. Currently as we all know Japan's military is structured to defend the home Islands, a has no real way to project power far from said Islands.

But some in Japan seem to wish to have an offensive capability such as the U.S. China or even India in the general region. This would be a departure from the past 70 years since the last time Japan had any offensive forces.

The justification right now is that Japan's regional conflict over un populated islands both with China, and in the North with Russia, along with a more unpredictable North Korea , that Japan should have offensive forces as both a deterrent and a option to bolster Japan's position in security measures.


What do you folks here on the forum think of this idea and movement? Currently little has actually taken place, but re tooling and slight re arming would all that would be needed to do so along with possible Japanese legislation allowing such.

Would a militarily independent Japan bolster security in the region? And possible be a counter weight to Chinese forays here? Or spark an arms race catching maybe the U.S. in the middle?

-Yo.

According to this site Japan is ranked as 23d strongest army, but as you said it lacks offensive capabilities to project power to the region. We know that US and Japan has recently increased cooperation and US goal is to have 60% of it´s fleet in the pasific at 2020. I think Japan will build a greater navy to counter an aggressive China.
 
There is no doubt that Japan must re-arm with China making territorial grabs plus there's the nut job in N.Korea firing missals all around , Japan enjoyed the U.S. Protection at no cost to them , the party is over the U.S. has thrown Israel under the bus with more to follow plus its a much different Japan today than your grandfathers Japan .
 
There is no doubt that Japan must re-arm with China making territorial grabs plus there's the nut job in N.Korea firing missals all around , Japan enjoyed the U.S. Protection at no cost to them , the party is over the U.S. has thrown Israel under the bus with more to follow plus its a much different Japan today than your grandfathers Japan .


I couldn't agree more, the Japanese almost conquered the world after WWII with electrical goods and cars. They were very ruthless, and still are, when it comes to business deals and their economy as many countries found out to their disadvantage.
The USA has been Japan's big brother for at least the last 50 years and has contributed more to the defence of japan than a lot of people would realise.
It is time for japan to be more proactive, build up it's defence force so it can also be an offensive force if needed. They have had someone looking out and helping to protect them in the form of the USA, obviously this was also a lot to do with self interest too, and it's appropriate that japan steps up and does it's bit.
As stated in an earlier post, many Japanese citizens consider the defence forces below them and a fair part of the population are dismissive of serving personal. Japan should right this wrong and give pride to it's armed forces and the public who may in the not too distant future rely on them.
With the technology available in japan and the population, there is no doubt that they could become a force to help stabilise the region and to act as a deterrent to countries like China, N Korea and Russia.
Gone are the days of the bushido code and the virtues of the samurai so I think that we need not fear japan treating others in the same way as they did prior to the end of the Second World War.
I know that they have been forging closer ties with the Australians and believe that they were about to enter into a deal with Australia concerning 20 new submarines using a lot of Japanese technology, this makes sense to me and a more formal alliance between the two countries could be very beneficial to them and also act as a bigger deterrent to any would be aggressors.
 
Abe is attempting to finish what his grandfather former prime minister Nobusuke Kishi started. Regular Japanese citizens are mostly against Japan's rearmament, especially in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There have been demonstrations around the National Diet Building protesting the revision of Article 9. The one I saw had 70000 people attend. People are also angry that Abe is ignoring constitutional amendment procedure, by attempting to change the Constitution without Diet debate or public approval.
 
Back
Top