Friday, April 02, 2004
The Army of the Rising Sun
Asia Times is reporting that the U.S. may have a new, or shall we say improved, ally fighting along side of it at hotspots around the world-Japan.
"If Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi gets his way, soon he will not only be authorized to dispatch the country's armed forces (at his own discretion, Koizumi likes to add) in the event of an attack on Japan, but also in the event that the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) are needed to defend the 47,000 US military personnel on Japanese territory - and beyond. The North Korean military threat is a major factor in the rethinking of Japan's security relationship with the US... All that needs to be done, Koizumi said, is to change the interpretation of "individual self-defense", adding the defense of US troops stationed on Japanese territory to the concept."
The strength of Japan's "Defense Forces" is one of the best kept secrets in the military world, however, they still aren't as prepared as a modern military should be. Japan has sent troops to Iraq, to show they are more willing to cooperate on International security and to show some of their Asian neighbors that Japan is willing to fight alongside the U.S.
Some people may be scared off by Japan stepping up their military, especially the Asian countries that Japan conquered and ravaged during World War 2. But I think this would be a major victory for the U.S. At a time when we can use any support we can get from our allies, one of our biggest may be stepping up. With our military stretched thin because of the Iraq War and the War on Terror, the rise of the Japanese military may give China a reason to think twice about invading Taiwan or keep North Korea from misbehaving. The balance of Asian power may continue to shift.
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"If Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi gets his way, soon he will not only be authorized to dispatch the country's armed forces (at his own discretion, Koizumi likes to add) in the event of an attack on Japan, but also in the event that the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) are needed to defend the 47,000 US military personnel on Japanese territory - and beyond. The North Korean military threat is a major factor in the rethinking of Japan's security relationship with the US... All that needs to be done, Koizumi said, is to change the interpretation of "individual self-defense", adding the defense of US troops stationed on Japanese territory to the concept."
The strength of Japan's "Defense Forces" is one of the best kept secrets in the military world, however, they still aren't as prepared as a modern military should be. Japan has sent troops to Iraq, to show they are more willing to cooperate on International security and to show some of their Asian neighbors that Japan is willing to fight alongside the U.S.
Some people may be scared off by Japan stepping up their military, especially the Asian countries that Japan conquered and ravaged during World War 2. But I think this would be a major victory for the U.S. At a time when we can use any support we can get from our allies, one of our biggest may be stepping up. With our military stretched thin because of the Iraq War and the War on Terror, the rise of the Japanese military may give China a reason to think twice about invading Taiwan or keep North Korea from misbehaving. The balance of Asian power may continue to shift.
