Can we trust Japan ?

[Al Kufr]

"In order to prepare for the defense of Japan, the SDF [self Defense Forces] has to be not only involved in its own efforts, but also in international efforts." - Akihiko Tanaka, defense expert at Tokyo University

"There has been a remarkable growth of pro-Taiwan sentiment in Japan. There is not one pro-China figure in the Koizumi Cabinet." - Phil Deans, director of the Contemporary China Institute at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London

"If Japanese hadn't fought the white people, we would still be slaves of the white people. It would be colonization. We changed that."

Tokyo Gov Shintaro Ishihara, insisting that Japan need not apologize for its wartime invasion of neighboring Asian countries, arguing that Japan did Asia a favor by delivering it from Western imperialism.

Will Japan Go Nuclear???

N.Korea and China have grown even more belligerent in recent times. And Japan, understandably, want to be able to defend itself against these two threats.

And the U.S also needs help needs help in containing N.Korea and may allow Japan to build up its military by allowing it to get nukes.

Based on Japans history(Japans past militarism) and current culture do you think they should be allowed to get Nukes?

http://www.d-n-i.net/fcs/comments/c533.htm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/worl...tml/abstain.stm

[JRoberts]

Japan is a great ally of ours, both economically and militarily. I see no logical reason why we couldn't trust Japan. Japan isn't stupid enough to do anything against us-their entire economy would collapse. I would love to see Japan increase its military power in eastern Asia-for both North Korea and China.

[Zoso]

Japan is my second favorite country. I'm all for seeing them build up their military, in order to defend themselves. Are they still under any sanctions as a result of WWII?

[ramKatori]

When I've spoken to Japanese acquaintances about this, the impression I got is that even the post-world-war-II generation feels a bit of guilt about their role in WW-II. They went to great lengths to explain that their army is only a DEFENCE force, and that they want to keep it that way.

When I've spoken to Chinese acquaintances about Japan, I have found that many of them still fear the Japanese from the stories their parents have told them about Japanese troops during WW-II.

[Yes]

Tokyo Gov Shintaro Ishihara, insisting that Japan need not apologize for its wartime invasion of neighboring Asian countries, arguing that Japan did Asia a favor by delivering it from Western imperialism.

We can trust Japan, a real ally and a trusted trading partner.

Any legitimate government should be allowed to arm themselves in whatever manner necessary for the purpose of defense against predatory nations. That is their inalienable right to do so.

As for Gov Ishihara, he is lost in his past embrace of Japanese tradition, I'm afraid. Japan would not have prospered were it not for its Westernization.

[Inspector]

Several people I know that have been to Japan say that their history books have blank pages in the space marked for ~1930-1946. Also a few years ago, they tried to create an Asian economic alliance called "The Greater East Aisian Co-Prosperity Sphere" and they wondered why everyone got angry. (That is the exact name that Imperial Japan gave to their military occupations of other countries. OOPS!)

So on the grounds that those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it... yes, I would say there are reasons to distrust Japan.

[Toolboxnj]

Not only that, but from a strictly realist point of view the more power Japan has vis-a-vis the United States, the greater chance they can challenge American hegemony. Japan can go nuclear at any time, and ever since the North Koreans tested a missle over Japan there has been a stronger push to develop these weapons. In any case, it's not good for the United States. Not only will Japanese power rise empirically, but this may led to tensions with China who is attempting to develop into a stronger regional player as evidenced by its investment in Asian universities.

[unskinned]

I would say Japan is not at all trustworthy. Not that I don't admire what is going on over there.... Japan is still a highly collective culture and could not handle too much freedom. I doubt they have grown the intellectual roots of individualism.

As an example of this, I would like to reluctantly offer that they have not thought up very many new ideas. Like the Germans they are technologically advanced and can improve on old ideas: their miniaturization of electronics is dwarfed by the german upgrading of an aircraft propeller to a jet. The original ideas don't seem that common.

Anyone who knows about them understands that, even when their prosperity was at it's height, they were steeped in collectivist hive like values. We should maintain what control we have over their destiny for as long as possible. Nuclear weapons are entirely out of the question.

[Durandal]

I don't see why everybody here thinks we have the right to continually deny the right to nuclear arms to other legitimate sovereign nations. It is a country's right to own and develop whatever they damn well please-- we can't dictate terms to other nations and simultaneously hold them sovereign and independent. Now I'm not saying that the United States can't act in its self-interest...what I mean to say is that this half-assed approach is philosophically uncertain and rather hypocritical.

I for one don't think Japan is a threat. To say that nukes are "out of the question" is simply absurd; we must decide if they are friend or foe-- I think evidence overwhelmingly points to 'friend'-- and act accordingly.

I would like to see some principled grounding of this in-between dickery.

[unskinned]

I don't see why everybody here thinks we have the right to continually deny the right to nuclear arms to other legitimate sovereign nations.  It is a country's right to own and develop whatever they damn well please-- we can't dictate terms to other nations and simultaneously hold them sovereign and independent.  Now I'm not saying that the United States can't act in its self-interest...what I mean to say is that this half-assed approach is philosophically uncertain and rather hypocritical.

I for one don't think Japan is a threat.  To say that nukes are "out of the question" is simply absurd; we must decide if they are friend or foe-- I think evidence overwhelmingly points to 'friend'-- and act accordingly.

I would like to see some principled grounding of this in-between dickery.

I don't know what "dickery" means but you have a point. I wouldn't stop them from getting Nukes with military action. I would make sure they know that they are our allies and will be protected. Also we should be "diplomatically pissed," whatever the procedure is, if they attempt to get them. So "out of the question" diplomatically, but not entirely. My language was too strong.

On the other hand, what I'm trying to say is I'm not sure just how much of their being classified as "freind" has to do with the reality of our military hegemony over them. Explain why, with that in mind, it is not more complicated than your post seems to portray.

[gadfly]

Japan will not bomb us as long as we keep buying their Hello Kitty crap.

[punk]

Every sovereign nation should be expected to pursue its own selfish interests.

Eventually every sovereign nation will find it has interests that conflict with those of the US.

There is no such thing as "trust" in international diplomacy. As selfish egoists, I would think you would all appreciate the meaninglessness of "trust".

[DavidV]

There is no such thing as "trust" in international diplomacy.  As selfish egoists, I would think you would all appreciate the meaninglessness of "trust".

As a selfish egoist, I don’t think you have a clue of what egoism is. Hint: rational men (and groups of rational men, such as free nations) have no conflict of interest with each other.

As for Japan, I think the more nukes they have the better, since we’ve been paying a big chunk of their military budget since WWII.

[Pete]

Samuel Huntington wrote in his book "Clash of Civilizations and an End to the New World Order" that Japan, in a conflict between the West and China, would probably align itself with China. I can't remember specifically how he expressed his reasoning, but it was something like Japan will have more invested with China than the US and, not having any cultural ties with the US, will feel no obligations to support us. Currently, I could care less if Japan arms itself with Nukes: we have nothing to fear from them. What I want to know is....Can we trust China!?

[punk]

As a selfish egoist, I don’t think you have a clue of what egoism is.  Hint: rational men (and groups of rational men, such as free nations) have no conflict of interest with each other. 

As for Japan, I think the more nukes they have the better, since we’ve been paying a big chunk of their military budget since WWII.

Any time there is an issue of scarcity of goods there will be a conflict of interest.

If you and I need a tank of gas and we want to go in opposite directions, but there is only enough gas for one of us, there will be a conflict of interest no matter how rational egoistic we are.

[punk]

Samuel Huntington wrote in his book "Clash of Civilizations and an End to the New World Order" that Japan, in a conflict between the West and China, would probably align itself with China. I can't remember specifically how he expressed his reasoning, but it was something like Japan will have more invested with China than the US and, not having any cultural ties with the US, will feel no obligations to support us. Currently, I could care less if Japan arms itself with Nukes: we have nothing to fear from them. What I want to know is....Can we trust China!?

Bah, Huntington tries to play up a middle school level depth of analysis of global politics into...well crap. Huntington isn't worth reading (and I did make the mistake of reading "Clash of Civilizations").

China isn't a uniform state. It is more like the European Union than the United States. It is a hodge-podge of ethnic groups that dont get along with each other dominated by the Han Chinese. China is too busy trying to turn itself into a nation state to spend too much effort externally.

China cannot even resolve the situation in the South China Sea against Japan, Vietnam, and others in its favor and you are worried about it getting in the way of the United States?

[Tom Rexton]

Any time there is an issue of scarcity of goods there will be a conflict of interest.

If you and I need a tank of gas and we want to go in opposite directions, but there is only enough gas for one of us, there will be a conflict of interest no matter how rational egoistic we are.

I think you're using the term "conflict of interest" in a different sense from what Greedy Capitalist did. Have you ever read Ayn Rand's essay "The 'Conflicts' of Men’s Interests" in The Virtue of Selfishness?

[tommyedison]

Can we trust China!?

If and when China starts to fail economically, I am sure the government will make one last attempt to take what doesn't belong to it to retain power.

War with China I think is still possible though highly improbable.

BTW, Does China have long range nukes?

[Inspector]

Any time there is an issue of scarcity of goods there will be a conflict of interest.

If you and I need a tank of gas and we want to go in opposite directions, but there is only enough gas for one of us, there will be a conflict of interest no matter how rational egoistic we are.

Punk, you seem very knowledgable on some aspects of Objectivism but blindingly ignorant on others. The above is an example of the latter, no offense. There is no conflict of interests because rational men recognise that the concept of property rights is much, much more important to both their interests then their momentary destinations. That's just a small example; I suggest you read Rand for the full story. (specifically the article Tom mentioned above)

[Al Kufr]

Samuel Huntington wrote in his book "Clash of Civilizations and an End to the New World Order" that Japan, in a conflict between the West and China, would probably align itself with China. I can't remember specifically how he expressed his reasoning, but it was something like Japan will have more invested with China than the US and, not having any cultural ties with the US, will feel no obligations to support us. Currently, I could care less if Japan arms itself with Nukes: we have nothing to fear from them. What I want to know is....Can we trust China!?

I dont think the will ally themselves with china, look at my quote above

"There has been a remarkable growth of pro-Taiwan sentiment in Japan. There is not one pro-China figure in the Koizumi Cabinet." - Phil Deans, director of the Contemporary China Institute at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London

And my belief is that we can't trust china.

[Al Kufr]

If and when China starts to fail economically, I am sure the government will make one last attempt to take what doesn't belong to it to retain power.

War with China I think is still possible though highly improbable.

BTW, Does China have long range nukes?

Yes they do have long range nucks, thank Bill Clinton for that.

[Thoyd Loki]

Any time there is an issue of scarcity of goods there will be a conflict of interest.

If you and I need a tank of gas and we want to go in opposite directions, but there is only enough gas for one of us, there will be a conflict of interest no matter how rational egoistic we are.

What does that mean?

Look, there are two alternatives to the scarcity of goods. Force and war, or freedom and production. Japan certainly is a country that follows the second way. And, if you look at how limited her natural resources are, she has been doing a quite impressive job.

[Pete]

China isn't a uniform state.  It is more like the European Union than the United States.  It is a hodge-podge of ethnic groups that dont get along with each other dominated by the Han Chinese.  China is too busy trying to turn itself into a nation state to spend too much effort externally.

China cannot even resolve the situation in the South China Sea against Japan, Vietnam, and others in its favor and you are worried about it getting in the way of the United States?

Could you give me some resources that support your position? I'm really interested in what's happening in Southeast Asia. I also wonder if China could end up with the same foreign and domestic policies that Japan had in the 20's and 30's: a mixed economy with a central government that thinks it's their destiny to control Southeast Asia.

[tommyedison]

Could you give me some resources that support your position? I'm really interested in what's happening in Southeast Asia. I also wonder if China could end up with the same foreign and domestic policies that Japan had in the 20's and 30's: a mixed economy with a central government that thinks it's their destiny to control Southeast Asia.

You mean World War III?

[Pete]

You mean World War III?

Not a WWIII, but something more in the line of a "Monroe Doctrine" or what Theodore Roosevelt did in the Caribean Basin during his administration. As far as a war, that would be up to the US as to how we would handle Chinese expansionism. With the US being bogged down in the Middle East, China is already playing more hardball with Taiwan. And if we can't turn our welfare state around, we won't have the resources to challenge the Chinese. There are a lot more variables involved: we'll just have to wait and see how the scenario develops. Also, do you think we need to develop a new topic if we keep talking about the Chinese?