Return of the samurai: Japan steps away from pacifist constitution

[Vassnti]

My Nihon friend! A true, equal partnership alliance is akin to something like China-Russia. Neither of us will take order from the other but we can support each other. That is an alliance.

Russia and China are two dogs barking at the same cat, if the cat went away they would go back to fighting.

You dont hold wargames in Trans-Baikal if your planing to attack California.

 

[IsaacNewton]

The Defense Budget stands at $59.3 Billion (+ $281 Billion for new purchases).

Defense Budget by Country
I did the search, and it is 49 billion.

Japan probably spends more though, they are just classified as other government branches,

 

[Aepsilons]

Defense Budget by Country
I did the search, and it is 49 billion.

Japan probably spends more though, they are just classified as other government branches,

Please visit the Ministry of Defense , they have more accurate information. Thanks.

 

[Mike_Brando]

Please visit the Ministry of Defense , they have more accurate information. Thanks.

Mate if your Defense budget is $281 billions then it is around 4.5% of your GDP.Are you absolutely sure about this figure.I mean isn't there a provision in Japanese Constitution that prohibits your Govt. to spend more than 1% of the GDP on defense??
Btw if it's really $281 billions then you can literally buy a 1000 F-15 strike Eagle and will still have more than $150 billions left in your kitty.Anyways best wishes to JSDF and it's personnel

 

[Zarvan]

Do you know the meaning of an Alliance? Second, Okinawa houses American servicemen, but it is also home to JGSDF and JMSDF forces stationed in there. The JASDF also has a major air base there. The Geopolitics of the time tested Japanese and American Military Alliance, surely, doesn't depend on the approval of private citizens.

Japan should have an Air Force around 540 latest Fighter Jets

 

[IsaacNewton]

Please visit the Ministry of Defense , they have more accurate information. Thanks.

Defense Budget

Page 52 of 2014 paper, Japan's defense budget was 47,838 (100 million yen) in 2014.
At an exchange rate of approximately 100 yen for 1 dollar, (currently 103 yen for 1 dollar), that is a total of 47,838 million dollars.
In other words, 47.8 billion dollars.

 

[Aepsilons]

Mate if your Defense budget is $281 billions then it is around 4.5% of your GDP.Are you absolutely sure about this figure.I mean isn't there a provision in Japanese Constitution that prohibits your Govt. to spend more than 1% of the GDP on defense??
Btw if it's really $281 billions then you can literally buy a 1000 F-15 strike Eagle and will still have more than $150 billions left in your kitty.Anyways best wishes to JSDF and it's personnel

The defense budget stands now at $61+ Billion. But this year, the Japanese Parliament passed a bill for a Military Procurement Resolution that allows the JSDF (Japan Self Defense Force) to purchase new inventory up to $281 Billion. Next year our budget will remain at $61 Billion, but it is not mentioned if Parliament will pass another resolution for more military procurement spending.

Defense Budget

Page 52 of 2014 paper, Japan's defense budget was 47,838 (100 million yen) in 2014.
At an exchange rate of approximately 100 yen for 1 dollar, (currently 103 yen for 1 dollar), that is a total of 47,838 million dollars.
In other words, 47.8 billion dollars.

Correct, that $48 Billion are for the 3 branches: JASDF, JGSDF, JMSDF. The Coast Guard is not included in this and if it is combined, it accounts for about $59.3 Billion.

This year the Parliament had approved over 3% increase in overall defense spending (JSDF+JCG), so in actual terms, it will be around $61.4 Billion this year. This could also either increase or decrease depending on final approval of defense spending amendments -- the Diet should convene on this before the end of the year.

SIPRI Publications

 

[sahaliyan]

Yes, Japanese are drugged into this alliance thingy, which is IN EFFECT is occupation of Okinawa. Alliance? Alliance against whom?

Well said,our Japanese friends may disagree or not happy,but the truth is Japan is an occupied country,the US treat Japan like it's slave,see cuurent Russia-Ukraine issue,this is not Japanese Bussiness,but they have no choice,only can follow US order to sanction Russia,even this action hurt Japan's won interests.Japan is not independent in real sense
Also I disagree with Xunzi,the true ally relation model is China-Pakistan relation,while we are allies,we didn't care Pakistan have good relations with countries like Japan,because it's their free choice

 

[syedali73]

Well said,our Japanese friends may disagree or not happy,but the truth is Japan is an occupied country,the US treat Japan like it's slave,see cuurent Russia-Ukraine issue,this is not Japanese Bussiness,but they have no choice,only can follow US order to sanction Russia,even this action hurt Japan's won interests.Japan is not independent in real sense
Also I disagree with Xunzi,the true ally relation model is China-Pakistan relation,while we are allies,we didn't care Pakistan have good relations with countries like Japan,because it's their free choice

Some Japanese have been voicing out against Okinawa occupation, in-fact Japan's Ex-Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama (16 September 2009 to 2 June 2010) promised to end the US occupation of Okinawa, but stepped back later for unknown reasons (possibly US pressure) BBC News - Okinawa voices: 'No more bases!' His inability to fulfill his promise of closing down the US base in Okinawa lead him to resign from his office http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704875604575281292285208862?mod=googlenews_wsj&mg=reno64-wsj&url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704875604575281292285208862.html?mod=googlenews_wsj. Everyone in Japan knows that her (Japan's) foreign policy is not independent and protects US interests rather than of Japan's. This is however, a sensitive topic, and nuclear-stung Japanese don't like to talk about it. It is pity that a brave nation such as Japanese have lost their ability to resist following two nuclear explosions, but who knows, maybe others would submit to the Americans too if they were nuked in similar fashion. We can only imagine the psychological impact the two nuclear explosion had on the Japanese. It was so huge an impact that Japanese, even after 60 years, are willing to take their arch enemies as friends and allies.

 

[sahaliyan]

Some Japanese have been voicing out against Okinawa occupation, in-fact Japan's Ex-Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama (16 September 2009 to 2 June 2010) promised to end the US occupation of Okinawa, but stepped back later for unknown reasons (possibly US pressure) BBC News - Okinawa voices: 'No more bases!' His inability to fulfill his promise of closing down the US base in Okinawa lead him to resign from his office http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704875604575281292285208862?mod=googlenews_wsj&mg=reno64-wsj&url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704875604575281292285208862.html?mod=googlenews_wsj. Everyone in Japan knows that her (Japan's) foreign policy is not independent and protects US interests rather than of Japan's. This is however, a sensitive topic, and nuclear-stung Japanese don't like to talk about it. It is pity that a brave nation such as Japanese have lost their ability to resist following two nuclear explosions, but who knows, maybe others would submit to the Americans too if they were nuked in similar fashion. We can only imagine the psychological impact the two nuclear explosion had on the Japanese. It was so huge an impact that Japanese, even after 60 years, are willing to take their arch enemies as friends and allies.

Yukio Hatoyama is a good guy,I like this man,and admire his pan-east Asian idea,he is right,American occupation is the biggest problem here,after he step down,he visited China many times,he want the cooperation between the two peoples
The Yankees surely don't want the cooperation between Asian countries

 

[Europa]

Yukio Hatoyama is a good guy,I like this man,and admire his pan-east Asian idea,he is right,American occupation is the biggest problem here,after he step down,he visited China many times,he want the cooperation between the two peoples
The Yankees surely don't want the cooperation between Asian countries

i wonder whether the boring monotonous anti japanese tirade by people's daily, the official mouthpiece of the ccp, is from white house

 

[sahaliyan]

i wonder whether the boring monotonous anti japanese tirade by people's daily, the official mouthpiece of the ccp, is from white house

Some CCP elites are pro-US,I think we can see from their actions,in China,one can very pro-US,but those pro-US guys always pretend very anti-Japan,I don't know the reason.

 

[Europa]

Some CCP elites are pro-US,I think we can see from their actions,in China,one can very pro-US,but those pro-US guys always pretend very anti-Japan,I don't know the reason.

think deeper, you will figure it out. also, i think, 'people's daily' should be renamed to 'anti-japan daily'

 

[55100864]

Some CCP elites are pro-US,I think we can see from their actions,in China,one can very pro-US,but those pro-US guys always pretend very anti-Japan,I don't know the reason.

I also like the idea of great East Asia, but japan currently is the taking advantage of the China-US game, surely able does not like China and he doesn't like US either although he pretend to be a US fanboy. The fact is if we want to challenge the west, we have to beat japan first, otherwise we have no way to ever access the west pacific, let alone a blue water navy.

 

[sahaliyan]

I also like the idea of great East Asia, but japan currently is the taking advantage of the China-US game, surely able does not like China and he doesn't like US either although he pretend to be a US fanboy. The fact is if we want to challenge the west, we have to beat japan first, otherwise we have no way to ever access the west pacific, let alone a blue water navy.

I think Abe doesn't want to be American slave,but his actions actually fit for US interests,not Japanese interests,what he really thought actually not that important.Let me remind that,after the PRC founded,we always support the Okinawa back to Japan,the pro-US elites think China is Japan's threat,do they think China will take Japanese lands?If they think so,they are foolish.The Diaoyu islands issue actually created by the US,the US government hand the islands to Japanese,but they didn't hand over the sovereignty to Japan,and claimed they will not take side in the Territorial disputes,I think they acrually play clever in this game.
Now I don't think we should go to west pacific,all we want is our security,mainly the energy security,also even we beat the Japanese,we still can't access the west pacific,because Japan will always exist.Then I think if a war happened between China and Japan,the US will surely take side in Japan,and will end in the large loss of both Chinese and Japanese,the one will benefit from this are Russia and US
And I think the real allies of US will be always Canada,Australia,New Zealand and Britain,I even don't need to mention the reasons here