Comments

Posts

Japan to Build Naval Base in Djibouti

The UPI reports that Japan will be spending about $40 million to build a naval facility in Djibouti:

The facility, intended to boost the fight against Somali pirates preying on vital shipping lanes, will be Japan’s first foreign military base since World War II.

“This will be the only Japanese base outside our country and the first in Africa,” said Japanese navy Capt. Keizo Kitagawa, commander of the Japanese flotilla deployed with the international anti-piracy task force in the Gulf of Aden. He will oversee establishment of the base.

The article goes on to state that 90% of Japan’s exports travel through the Gulf of Aden, so keeping the area pirate-free would obviously help Japan.

[hat tip to SW Kelly]

—

Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
Dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)

27 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - June 4, 2010 at 10:09 am

Categories: General Japan Tags:

Tony D

So Japan is building a military base in an African country. What happens if the locals don’t like the base? Will the Japanese happily leave? Or will they say something like “it’s to protect mutual interests” like… a certain other country… says about its overseas military bases?
Hamachiman

Uh-oh.

The Japan ‘dislikers’ screaming about Japan’s militaristic ambitions and denial of wartime atrocities in 5, 4, 3, 2……

http://www.squidoo.com/Ryoma-Sakamoto Eric

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and…nothing. Hamachiman, you’re such a prolific builder of strawmen. It seems that you’ve now completely surrounded yourself with them and are unable to see anything at all.

fish taco

“you’re such a prolific builder of strawmen”

♪ ♫ ♪ If he only had a brain… ♪ ♫ ♪

/jk

sorry couldn’t resist.

Jerry

What they need to invest is to have a Robot patrolling the Gulf of Aden. For sure the pirates will be scared dead in their tracks.

Fat Tony

Not if it’s asimo.

craig

Hope they don’t keep crashing into fishing boats like in Japanese waters
Simon

Theres so much more to this than Somali pirates.

K-dog

Whales perhaps?

tbrot

A super sized combini store would be nice.

fish taco

They should go after some of those “pirates” based in Australia.

Vonskippy

40 million? I’ve seen bigger beach houses.
LB

C’mon, everybody sing! “Shake shake shake…. Shake shake shake… Shake Djibouti. Shake DjiBOUti, Yeah!”
http://soundcloud.com/npc NPC

Wow, 90% of exports? I would have expected more traveling over the Pacific to California. Anyone know what they’re exporting over that way exactly?

PAC3

That’s because it is untrue. It implies that Japan’s exports to its East Asian trading partners are 10% or less.
Bran

Its not exports the base is safe-guarding. The priority is by far its oil ‘imports’. Article is also several weeks old, far from breaking news.

http://www.squidoo.com/Ryoma-Sakamoto Eric

How is this not a violation of Article 9?

Comment

They are defending Japanese ships and property. Article 9 allows for defense.

Fat Tony

It’s also not “the use of force as a means of settling international disputes.” No one, probably not event the pirates themselves disputes that piracy is illegitimate.

Level3

This and the Okinawa news in the same week?

It’s such a fine line between irony and hypocrisy.
Stranger

I don’t know. I’ve always been more of a Djiboobi man myself. To each his own I guess.
Marvin

If Japan installs a Military base in Africa then this means they are there to stay. Japan is always complaining about how colonized by the USA, and they turn around and do the same thing. Japanese were not ravaged of their heritage but their government was just made America friendly. The Chinese & US government are also trying to dominate Africa. Europe has sucked Africa’s resources dry from top to bottom. But yet they call someone a thief when they go into a store & steal something(just pointing out hypocrisy). As a person of African descent living in America I am absolutely appalled by this. Japan seems to be in misery because of the US bases, & it wants company. It’s target just happens to be Africa. For an obvious reason that is. I am totally opposed to the US bases being in Japan though. The Japanese can fend for themselves. Plus they US has committed murder & rapes against. In Japan, the government make laws to socially oppress it foreigners such as no foreigners allowed. But they come into Africa unannounced. Generally the locals in Japan are prejudice & prideful, especially against blacks. I known many blacks who’ve lived in Japan and claim they were treated worser than any other type of Gaijin. As for Djibouti First they will bring their nationalism, soon their religion….etc. Years later they will justify their actions with the “if it wasn’t for us excuse”. (sarcasm) If Japan installs more than a military base in Djibouti then I want a 1st class citizenship in Japan..wait….a piece of paper cannot guarantee how a person feels.

http://billowykimono.blogspot.com/ Senor Science

Maybe you should try reading the article and other comments before spouting off yet another anti-Japan/US conspiracy screed?

Marvin

I released a rant, I would like to apologize for it too. It seemed pretty biased, It will never happen again. Please delete the comment. bye/thanks

Marvin

Senor Science, I did read the article & I wasn’t responding to other comments. After carefully examining my comment & getting a thumbs up, the only thing I regret is how I got my point across. The only reason why I apologized is because my comment seemed biased towards all individuals. Plus my included sarcasm can be misinterpreted. The reason why I included the sarcasm is because if Japan installs a military they also set up shop build schools & homes in Djibouti. It speaks for itself that they will bring their Flags & Nationalism. I spoke & wrote on the behalf of Japan countless times. My comment wasn’t Anti-Japan, as stated previously, I think the US should leave Japan. So Japan can get strong & develop their own Military in their territory that is. If Japan forms a Military Africans will suffer the same fate that Japan is complaining about. So in simple terms I am referring to them as hypocrites. Asians in general(not saying all)are not fond of blacks, many of them look down on us. I witnessed a Japanese woman proudly admit Japanese don’t like blacks, that her kind is semi-prejudice towards blacks. No more needs to be exaplained.

Furansu

In Djibouti, Japanese won’t feel alone there, because the French are there already since 1969.
They have ground forces and also air force bases.
http://www.monster-island.net/ kushibo

I don’t really have a problem with this, and I see it as a good chance for South Korea and Japan to work together in those waters while supporting the US, but how does it square with Article 9 (genuinely asking)? I have some ideas, but I’d rather hear from people who know better.

Japan to Build Naval Base in Djibouti

Recent Comments

Further Reading

South Korean TV Erases Japanese Flag From H-IIA Rocket

Short Film: “Regular Days” in Saga Prefecture

More Vandalism: Hair Removed From Sazae-san Character Statue

Videos: Solar Eclipse Over Japan

Japanese H-IIA Rocket Carries South Korean Satellite into Space

Takeshi Kitano Compares Homosexuality to Bestiality?

Detective Conan Statues Vandalized

BBC Global Poll: Japan Has Most Positive Influence in the World

Photo: Tommy Lee Jones as General Douglas MacArthur

Tokyo Disney Resort Allows Gay Weddings

Categories

Subscribe

Japan Blogs

Korea Blogs

Linkroll

Other Asia Blogs