Japan--Rethinking Its Past And Present For A Better Future
Since 1945 Japan has been forbidden from having a standing military except when it comes to its own defense. For that, they have the 240,000 man strong Self-Defense Forces. But in the wake of North Korea's missile exercises last week, Japan is contemplating a possible new change in strategy:
Japan said Monday it was considering whether a pre-emptive strike on North Korea's missile bases would violate its constitution, signaling a hardening stance ahead of a possible U.N. Security Council vote on Tokyo's proposal for sanctions against the regime.
The vote itself could be delayed for several days, a news agency reported.
China asked Japan to postpone the vote until later this week and Japan is prepared to accept, Kyodo News agency said.
Japanese officials had earlier vowed to push ahead with a resolution that would impose sanctions on North Korea for its missile tests last week, but said Tokyo would not insist on a Monday vote.
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters his government wants a vote on the measure "as soon as possible."
"I think we must send a message that's as clear as possible" to North Korea, he said.
Japan was badly rattled by North Korea's missile tests last week and several government officials openly discussed whether the country ought to take steps to better defend itself, including setting up the legal framework to allow Tokyo to launch a pre-emptive strike against Northern missile sites.
"If we accept that there is no other option to prevent an attack ... there is the view that attacking the launch base of the guided missiles is within the constitutional right of self-defense. We need to deepen discussion," Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said.
The report does go on to state that Japan does not have the weapons, as yet, to make such a move. They lack the ballistic missiles. However, I sincerely doubt that Kim Jong-Il wishes to start any sort of an arms race with Japan. As one of the two largest industrial nations in the world (the other being the United States) not only would that be a competition that he could not afford, but one in which he has no chance of truly winning. And if Kim Jong-Il decides to wave a nuclear weapon around, he would be wise to think twice. We do, after all, have Japan's back in such a case. The little dictator that could might be able to get one off to hit Japan. But the aftermath would be nuclear annihilation from the United States.
But this could be the turn of events needed to make the region take notice. Not just North Korea, but China, as well. They, too, have some history with the Japanese, and it is anything but pleasant. In fact if Japan does decide to plan and implement offensive military technology, that should be enough of a warning to the region that the times do change even for Japan. They are not immune to what happens around them. And a move in that direction might just be enough of a prod to China to keep its little yipper on a tighter leash, lest it lose its head.
Marcie
Since 1945 Japan has been forbidden from having a standing military except when it comes to its own defense. For that, they have the 240,000 man strong Self-Defense Forces. But in the wake of North Korea's missile exercises last week, Japan is contemplating a possible new change in strategy:
Japan said Monday it was considering whether a pre-emptive strike on North Korea's missile bases would violate its constitution, signaling a hardening stance ahead of a possible U.N. Security Council vote on Tokyo's proposal for sanctions against the regime.
The vote itself could be delayed for several days, a news agency reported.
China asked Japan to postpone the vote until later this week and Japan is prepared to accept, Kyodo News agency said.
Japanese officials had earlier vowed to push ahead with a resolution that would impose sanctions on North Korea for its missile tests last week, but said Tokyo would not insist on a Monday vote.
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters his government wants a vote on the measure "as soon as possible."
"I think we must send a message that's as clear as possible" to North Korea, he said.
Japan was badly rattled by North Korea's missile tests last week and several government officials openly discussed whether the country ought to take steps to better defend itself, including setting up the legal framework to allow Tokyo to launch a pre-emptive strike against Northern missile sites.
"If we accept that there is no other option to prevent an attack ... there is the view that attacking the launch base of the guided missiles is within the constitutional right of self-defense. We need to deepen discussion," Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said.
The report does go on to state that Japan does not have the weapons, as yet, to make such a move. They lack the ballistic missiles. However, I sincerely doubt that Kim Jong-Il wishes to start any sort of an arms race with Japan. As one of the two largest industrial nations in the world (the other being the United States) not only would that be a competition that he could not afford, but one in which he has no chance of truly winning. And if Kim Jong-Il decides to wave a nuclear weapon around, he would be wise to think twice. We do, after all, have Japan's back in such a case. The little dictator that could might be able to get one off to hit Japan. But the aftermath would be nuclear annihilation from the United States.
But this could be the turn of events needed to make the region take notice. Not just North Korea, but China, as well. They, too, have some history with the Japanese, and it is anything but pleasant. In fact if Japan does decide to plan and implement offensive military technology, that should be enough of a warning to the region that the times do change even for Japan. They are not immune to what happens around them. And a move in that direction might just be enough of a prod to China to keep its little yipper on a tighter leash, lest it lose its head.
Marcie
posted by Syd And Vaughn | 10:16 AM
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