Al Jazeera Reports On Rising Japanese Military Power

Many of you out there probably missed this report on Japan’s military revival by the Al Jazeera network, since the Arab-run news channel is not carried by American cable providers. Like many international media reports on this issue, it is somewhat obsessed with what Japan blogger Ampontan has called the “boogeyman of resurgent right wing Japanese nationalism.” Despite the fact that a majority of Japanese at all ages oppose revision of the pacifist constitution, the report makes it seem like Japan’s youth are clamoring to join the SDF in record numbers out of a desire to see an end to Japanese pacifism. Al Jazeera assembles a panel of experts, two of whom downplay the idea of Japan as a threat and point out that Japan’s military spending has been declining in recent years, yet the moderator keeps driving home the idea of Japan (and the United States) as the real threats to stability in Asia.

Part 1

Part 2

[Thanks to Julián Ortega Martínez for the video link!]

Troy

I’d worry a lot more about the size of the Chinese army. Last time I checked they didn’t have any pacifist constitution.
Syd

This show is pure propaganda.

Research into this, check out; http://www.stippy.com/japan-politics/warmonger/

Japan’s military is dwarfed by most of Asia. It’s one of the few countries that doesn’t require mandatory military service. I urge you readers to look into how much Japan has actually done in comparison against the neighbors who surround it.

A few notes;
1. The ‘kamikaze’ are not glorified in Japan nor is the movie a tribute to them. Nor are the samarai for that matter.
2. 80% of Japanese troops in Iraq provide services of Engineering and building.
3. Why can America change her constitution, but Japan can’t?
4. How is building an army ‘aggressive’, just because a man goes to the gym doesn’t mean he’s going to fight.
5. I want to meet the person who can prove that America is a threat to China!!!
6. The Chinese expert (who isn’t Chinese) said to look at Japan’s ‘intention’, please, what is Japan’s intention, have they declared war?
7. Someone should inform him, Japan DIDN’T drop the atom bomb.
8. Those women watching the SDF were part of a TV ‘idol’ stunt.
9. The SDF is having a problem getting members and are below quota, which is why they have run an aggressive campaign to meet the minimum the need to keep operation.
10. Why do they make a big deal of Japan being a ‘pacifist nation’, it’s comparing apples and oranges next to China then.
11. He uses terms like ‘bigger’ and ‘better’ army than most in the world… who’s he comparing against, Vatican City?
12. I think the point about the handbags could mean that even though Japan spends less than China on military spending, Japan doesn’t have half the internal problems that face China.
13. Key word there champ ‘history’ means ‘history’. Bad bad things happened, but Japan must apologize every year and pay more and more money.

Sorry to drag on, but before you take a stand for either side, balance the information yourself.
Hebi-kai

Don’t forget — this isn’t about military strength. It’s about defeating Japan politically so they can then hurt the U.S.

Japan is a “threat” in Asia because of its ties to the U.S. and because of its finances. It’s also a threat to the Islamic Supremists because it’s a nation with religious freedom. Obvious China and its military might is more of a threat, but its ties to the U.S. are only related to business. Japan has military ties to the U.S. as Japan is the main hub for the U.S. in East Asia.

This is why China always allows protests against Japan (never of course against its own Communist regime). Japan doesn’t stand any military threat to China; but it does so politically. If the U.S. weren’t there, China might even attack Japan.

There’s two words that could scare the hell out of China and the Islamofacists: nuclear Japan.
shazzb0t

If you ask me this kind of talk of Japan’s ‘resurgent militarism’ is simply Chinese propaganda to take people’s thoughts away from its very real and growing militarism.
EBMF

Awesome, I’ve always wanted to see a real Gundamn pwning shit
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Al Jazeera Reports On Rising Japanese Military Power

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