Asia needs NATO-style alliance against China: LDP lawmaker

[Krueger]

Kyodo News International March 6, 2014

Japan should aim to create a multilateral security alliance in Asia similar to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to counterbalance China's military buildup, a senior ruling party lawmaker said Thursday.

Shigeru Ishiba, secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party, also said in a speech to fellow lawmakers that Japan should remove its self-imposed ban on the right to collective self-defense, saying he is on the same page as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe regarding that "long-cherished wish."

"It will become necessary for us to have an Asian version of NATO," Ishiba said. "We will likely see a continued rise in China's defense budget, and U.S. influence waning. So we need a balance here in the region with China."

The LDP's No. 2 man unveiled a vision to create a network in Asia of security alliances at a time when China's growing aerial and maritime assertiveness is keeping Japan and other Asian countries on alert.

Currently, Japan and some Asian countries such as the Philippines have separate bilateral alliances with the United States, which has emphasized its "pivot" to Asia despite budgetary constraints.

Earlier in the day, Ishiba discussed with Abe steps toward lifting the ban on exercising the right to collective self-defense after gaining support from the New Komeito party, the LDP's ruling coalition partner.

Ishiba said if Japan fails to lift the ban now "it won't be possible for quite a while," but New Komeito is more cautious about expanding Japan's security role in the region.

Removing the ban would allow Japan to defend allies under armed attack even when Japan has not been attacked. But the issue remains divisive at home, given it would mark a major change in the postwar security framework under the war-renouncing Constitution.

Abe is aiming to change the current interpretation carried over from past governments that Japan has the right to collective self-defense but cannot exercise it due to the limitations of Article 9, which forbids the use of force to settle international disputes and only allows the minimum for self-defense.

Asia needs NATO-style alliance against China: LDP lawmaker | GlobalPost

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue would be the base of such an military alliance, depending on Chinese assertiveness in the region

Quadrilateral Security Dialogue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[bolo]

Sounds to me Japan just want to have free reign to start militarization.

"Removing the ban would allow Japan to defend allies under armed attack even when Japan has not been attacked. But the issue remains divisive at home, given it would mark a major change in the postwar security framework under the war-renouncing Constitution"

Let me rephrase that: "Removing the ban would allow Japan to occupy its allies under armed attack even when Japan has not been attacked."

 

[sincity]

Nato policy handed Crimea back to Russia without a single shot fired. Japan shouldn't follow Nato style of alliance since most of Asian nations still are developing nations and lacking of advance technology. Compare to Nato, Asian alliance lack the financial mean or the military might to effectively counter China without US calling the shot in the region. US will always called the shot and all Asian alliance will follow, nothing will be change in the region, US still the master that control the puppets in the region.

 

[bolo]

Nato policy handed Crimea back to Russia without a single shot fired. Japan shouldn't follow Nato style of alliance since most of Asian nations still are developing nations and lacking of advance technology. Compare to Nato, Asian alliance lack the financial mean or the military might to effectively counter China without US calling the shot in the region. US will always called the shot and all Asian alliance will follow, nothing will be change in the region, US still the master that control the puppets in the region.

Japanese right wing dogs are fantasizing just like typical japanese **** theme. Who's going to join this asian nato? Japan, SK, philippines, vietnam, Malaysia? These five combine is still not much of a match against China.

 

[Pakistanisage]

More than likely if there was a NATO style Alliance it would include China, Pakistan , Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh ( if they can get rid of so called Hasina ).

 

[Raphael]

They can call it the East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. Oh wait, they already did.

 

[sincity]

Japanese right wing dogs are fantasizing just like typical japanese **** theme. Who's going to join this asian nato? Japan, SK, philippines, vietnam, Malaysia? These five combine is still not much of a match against China.

Don't need to be so vulgar on bashing the Japanese government, I understand why Japan feel insecure about China rise in the region and want to hedge with other Asian to counter China threat. China can easily dissolves the Asia Alliance by resolving territerial dispute with other climaint in South China Sea then Japan wouldn't be able to use the China threat rhetoric to counterweight China.

 

[BoQ77]

SEATO ever created as opposed to Vietnam raising !!!

Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

South East Asia Treaty Organization

SEATO's flag

Map of SEATO members, shown in blue.
Abbreviation SEATO
Formation 8 September 1954
Extinction 30 June 1977
Type intergovernmental military alliance
Headquarters Bangkok, Thailand
Region served Southeast Asia
Membership
8 states[show]
States protected by SEATO[show]


The leaders of some of the SEATO nations in front of the Congress Building in Manila, hosted by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos on 24 October 1966


A SEATO conference in Manila
The South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) was an international organization for collective defense in Southeast Asia created by the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty, or Manila Pact, signed in September 1954 in Manila, Philippines. The formal institution of SEATO was established on 19 February 1955 at a meeting of treaty partners in Bangkok, Thailand.[1] The organization's headquarters were also in Bangkok. Eight members joined the organization.

Primarily created to block further communist gains in Southeast Asia, SEATO is generally considered a failure because internal conflict and dispute hindered general use of the SEATO military; however, SEATO-funded cultural and educational programs left long-standing effects in Southeast Asia. SEATO was dissolved on 30 June 1977 after many members lost interest and withdrew.

Membership
8 states[hide]

• Australia
• New Zealand
• Pakistan (including East Pakistan, now Bangladesh)
• Philippines
• Thailand
• France
• United Kingdom
• United States

States protected by SEATO[hide]

• South Vietnam
• Laos

 

[senheiser]

nato doesnt do something against russia in europe, a nato in asia would a total failure

 

[xunzi]

Talk is cheap. At this point, we are waiting for Japan to make the first move.

 

[Viet]

The Japanese should scrap the self imposed ban as soon as possible. It is outdated and only benefits China. Take Germany as example, the Germans scrapped the post-war limitation long ago.

Sure, Japan is right in the context that America cannot be relied upon. A collective defence alliance of Japan+Vietnam+Philippines+Malaysia+Brunei is necessary to stop Chinese arrogance and aggression.

For a start, Japan can help arming Vietnam with all necessary weapons.

 

[Zero_wing]

Ya your right your cheap

 

[Viet]

They can call it the East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. Oh wait, they already did.

congrat to your new role.
today Chinese arrogance takes the place of Japan in the past.

 

[jkroo]

Hmm, let's wait and see USA and Japan to create this nato style org. USA and Japan should expand their military budget.

Japan actually is doing it and support by USA.

I just wonder when and how the Japanese will revenge because USA nuked Japan twice.