China's military a global concern: Japan

[trident2010]

China's military a global concern: Japan


TOKYO: Japan needs to focus on the rise of China and not the Cold War threat of Russia in defining its security goals, according to new defense guidelines announced Friday.

The guidelines, which were approved by the cabinet, also call for a stronger alliance with the US - Japan's biggest ally - and expanded security networks with regional partners, including South Korea and Australia.

China immediately slammed the guidelines as "irresponsible." Foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said China is a force for peace and development in Asia and threatens no one.

To bolster its forces, Japan will acquire new submarines and fighter jets, upgrade its missile defense capabilities and make its ground forces more mobile so that they can quickly respond to emergencies in southwest Japan.

The guidelines paint China as a bigger threat than Russia and say Japan is shifting its defense emphasis from the northern island of Hokkaido to islands in the south, such as Okinawa and territories claimed by both Tokyo and Beijing that have recently led to diplomatic tensions.

The Japan-US alliance remains "indispensable" to Japan's security, the guideline said, calling for stronger cooperation between Japanese and the 47,000 US armed forces based in this country. It also urged Japan to use its diplomatic and defense capabilities "more proactively."

But the guidelines cited "changes in global power balance" and noted a relative decline of America's strength and rise of emerging countries such as China and India. Japan, meanwhile, should pursue its own efforts to enhance missile defense capabilities to protect itself from threats by China and North Korea, it said.

"We still have lots of tanks and Ground Self-Defense Forces on Hokkaido and we need to shift to the southwestern islands," a senior government official said on condition of anonymity before the official release of the guidelines. The official said the goal is to "modernize our defense posture from our Cold War days."

The guidelines said China's rapid military buildup and lack of transparency are matters of concern.

It said North Korea's military activity is a "pressing and serious destabilizing factor" for Japan and causes grave problems for international nonproliferation efforts.

"The Korean Peninsula and North Korea are imminent and concrete threats to Japan, while China is more of a medium-term threat ... It is a major risk factor for Japan's security in the southwestern islands and the Japan-US security alliance in the long run," said Hideshi Takesada, executive director at the National Institute for Defense Studies. "The guideline addresses such concerns and developments in the region."

In Beijing, officials said Tokyo was wrong in seeing China as a threat.

"Individual countries have no right to represent the international community and make irresponsible remarks on China's development," foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang said.

China insists on following the "road of peaceful development" and upholds a military policy that is entirely defensive in nature, she said.

Relations between Tokyo and Beijing deteriorated quickly over a longstanding dispute over islands in the East China Sea called Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan after a Sept 7 collision between a Chinese fishing boat and Japanese coast guard vessels, an incident that has raised public and government concern over China's military strength.

Washington has urged Japan to play a greater security role in the region, and proposed a three-way military alliance that would include South Korea.

Regarding specific deployments, Japan plans to send more ground troops to its southwestern islands. The troops will use mobile radar and fly reconnaissance aircraft to monitor the surrounding seas, according to a separate five-year defense plan through March, 2015, also approved Friday by the cabinet.

The plan did not specify the location but Japanese media have said 100 ground troops will be sent to Yonaguni, in Okinawa prefecture, where Japan currently has no troops. Placing them on the island that is closer to China, Taiwan and the disputed islands could be contentious.

Japan will also increase its submarines to 22 from the current 16 and add a destroyer, bringing the total fleet to 48, including six Aegis radar-equipped warships. Tanks will be reduced to 400 from 600 but the number of ground forces maintained at roughly the current level of 150,000.

The guideline also proposed joining in international arms development or production to bolster the defense industry, which is largely limited to the domestic market.



China's military a global concern: Japan - The Times of India

 

[KALKI]

Just talking won't help Japan. Japan will have to decide if it wants to abandon its self-destructive pacifist constitution or just keep putting up rebellious statements against an increasingly assertive and arrogant China.

 

[Lankan Ranger]

Read This: http://www.defence.pk/forums/china-...-guidelines-says-poses-no-threat-anybody.html

 

[Lankan Ranger]

China responds to Japan's new defense guidelines, saying it poses no threat to anybody

China on Friday responded to Japan's new defense guidelines, saying China had no intention of threatening anybody.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu made the remarks when responding to a question on the subject.

"A certain country has no right to act as a representative of the international community and make irresponsible remarks on China's development," she said.

Japan adopted the National Defence Programme Guidelines Friday. Media reports said the guidelines claimed China's military development and lack of transparency were matters of concern to the region and international community, and urged nations to encourage China to act responsibly.

China unswervingly follows the path of peaceful development, and its defense policy is defensive in nature, Jiang said, adding that China poses no threat to anybody.

"The fact is that China's development since its reform and opening up, has brought huge opportunities of common prosperity to the world, including Japan," Jiang said.

China responds to Japan's new defense guidelines, saying it poses no threat to anybody

 

[Super Falcon]

if china is a concern than india is bigger concern too

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Japan will have to decide if it wants to abandon its self-destructive pacifist constitution...

Not going to happen.

The way the Japanese pacifist constitution was written (by the Americans) makes it almost impossible to change it.

In fact, the Japanese constitution has not even been amended even ONCE since 1945.

 

[KALKI]

Not going to happen.

The way the Japanese pacifist constitution was written (by the Americans) makes it almost impossible to change it.

In fact, the Japanese constitution has not even been amended even ONCE since 1945.

Again CD, you're making a premature assumption.

If it has never happened, that doesn't mean it can't happen.

Impossible is nothing.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Again CD, you're making a premature assumption.

If it has never happened, doesn't mean it can't happen.

The reason it has not been amended once since 1945 is because the restrictions are too severe. It was designed that specifically by the Americans to prevent a re-militarization of Japan.

If you think it's somehow possible to over-rule all of that, then by all means please explain to me how it will happen.

You're asking me to take it on faith, just like you asked me to believe the Indian government would stop being so soft. Yet you never provide any evidence at all.

 

[TechLahore]

Reminds me of what President Musharraf liked to say... "In judging a threat, two variables must be analyzed: intent and capability. We focus on capability because intent can change in an instant."

Applies to Japan too. If Japan were to remilitarize, the numerous countries in the region that still have pending disputes with Japan (Russia, China, Korea for example) would sit up and notice. An arms race leading to a militarily strong Japan will open up a can of worms and may not ultimately go in favour of the West. As per the quote above, intent can change in an instant.

And while still on the subject of intent, what the world needs to remember is that while China has never tried to take over the world, Japan has.

 

[KALKI]

The reason it has not been amended once since 1945 is because the restrictions are too severe. It was designed that specifically by the Americans to prevent a re-militarization of Japan.

And who knows, one day the Americans themselves might let the dog off the leash.

CD, I've worked in a Japanese company in the past. I have worked with the Japanese people. I can tell you one thing for sure, if the Japanese decide to do something, nobody can stop them.

The Japanese are one formidable people and one formidable country.

I'd be very very afraid if India were to face Japan as an adversary and it's not an underestimation of Indians, it is a compliment to the Japanese.

Japan is a sleeping giant, only till the day it decides to roar once again.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

And who knows, one day the Americans themselves might let the dog off the leash.

You fundamentally misunderstand.

The Americans wrote the constitution so that it would be nearly impossible to change. The Americans themselves don't have direct control over it, and they can't change it now.

I have worked with Japanese people too, and as individuals I find them admirable.

That doesn't change the fact that as TechLahore rightly pointed out, Japan has invaded China twice over the past century. Despite their stagnating economy, and declining place in the world, it's still worth watching out.

 

[Bang Galore]

Reminds me of what President Musharraf liked to say... "In judging a threat, two variables must be analyzed: intent and capability. We focus on capability because intent can change in an instant."

Applies to Japan too. If Japan were to remilitarize, the numerous countries in the region that still have pending disputes with Japan (Russia, China, Korea for example) would sit up and notice. An arms race leading to a militarily strong Japan will open up a can of worms and may not ultimately go in favour of the West. As per the quote above, intent can change in an instant.

And while still on the subject of intent, what the world needs to remember is that while China has never tried to take over the world, Japan has.

Depends on where you are sitting, I suppose. China's aggressive behavior in the last one year vis-a-vis its neighbours have rattled a lot of nerves. The recent trawler incident & the the subsequent Chinese reaction(banning the export of rare earth minerals) has only served to heighten latent Japanese fears of China. A pursuit of a stronger military by Japan probably has more understanding than anytime in the last 60 years(including within Japan). This could be achieved by independent action or as is more likely, with deeper American co-operation. Recent Chinese actions have made America more popular in the Pacific than at any time in the last couple of decades.

 

[TechLahore]

Depends on where you are sitting, I suppose. China's aggressive behavior in the last one year vis-a-vis its neighbours have rattled a lot of nerves. The recent trawler incident & the the subsequent Chinese reaction(banning the export of rare earth minerals) has only served to heighten latent Japanese fears of China. A pursuit of a stronger military by Japan probably has more understanding than anytime in the last 60 years(including within Japan). This could be achieved by independent action or as is more likely, with deeper American co-operation. Recent Chinese actions have made America more popular in the Pacific than at any time in the last couple of decades.

I hear you. But that popularity has increased only amongst the nations that were already under the US sphere of influence. America is not more popular with Russia, say. Not to even get into discussing NK or China itself...

I guess my point is a remilitarization of Japan can (and probably will) have serious unintended consequences.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

I hear you. But that popularity has increased only amongst the nations that were already under the US sphere of influence. America is not more popular with Russia, say. Not to even get into discussing NK or China itself...

I guess my point is a remilitarization of Japan can (and probably will) have serious unintended consequences.

South Korea will be the most angry if Japan tries to re-militarize.

If you think China holds a grudge against Japan over the past war crimes, you should see how angry the South Koreans get!

Anyway I still don't see any feasible way for Japan to change their pacifist constitution, so this is just probably just hypothetical.

 

[kakalalaso]

I would like that Japan amend its constitution so that we can be pushed to focus more on defense.