South Korea, Japan united against North Korea!

South Korea, Japan united against North Korea!

ca.news.yahoo.com

SEOGWIPO, South Korea (Reuters) - South Korea and Japan vowed on Saturday to stand united against North Korea in a showdown over a sunken ship, raising pressure on China which has been reluctant to join other countries in condemning Pyongyang.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Haven't heard the word "showdown" being used.. Well, not from an "allied" point of view. SK knows damn well that sanctions will NOT prevent NK from attacking another ship/sub like they have so openly done in the past.

I know this is the 1000 Korean thread this month, but I thought it would be important because SK is openly stating who is with them.

U.S/SK/Japan... Although, while this happens China may go in for the scoop on Taiwan.

ca.news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

South Korea is a big market for the North. If the PRC unites with Japan and South Korea then that will spell the end for North Korea.

Ok, so does anyone know the current policy of the Japanese military? I know for the longest time that they were not allowed to train in offensive or even counter-offensive tactics.

But then I saw them deployed in APCs in Kuwait....

Can they be part of a strike force on the Korean peninsula? Is their involvement tactical or is it just solidarity and support?


Edit to add: May not make much of a difference; even in camo and sitting in APCs they looked like tourists.

[edit on 29-5-2010 by cavscout]

^^ Good question...

Originally posted by cavscout
or is it just solidarity and support?

^^ I presume this, cause well.. US/SK will need it.

I think this covers your question:

Military History of Japan

Post-World War II
After a period of U.S. occupation(1945-1952), Japan regained its independence. Japan was also forbidden to have a standing army or wage war by Article nine of its Constitution.

Although the Japanese constitution says "land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained," the Jieitai (自衛隊), or Japan Self-Defense Forces were created shortly after the end of U.S. occupation. The Jieitai is one of the most technologically advanced armed forces in the world and Japanese military expenditures are the seventh highest in the world. Though the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, signed in 1960, allows for the continued presence of American military bases in Japan, most of them on Okinawa, no formal agreement was ever set by which Japan officially relies on the United States, United Nations, or anybody else for its defense.

In the aftermath of the Occupation, attempts were made by some administrations in Japan, particularly at the urging of the United States, to amend the Constitution and rearm. However, intense popular sentiment against this action, and against war in general, along with the attitudes and agendas of significant elements within the government, prevented this. In 1967, Prime Minister Eisaku Satō outlined the Three Non-Nuclear Principles by which Japan stands against its production, or possession of nuclear weaponry. Similar ideas were expressed several years later against the production and export of conventional arms.

The Diet of Japan is currently deliberating an amendment to the Constitution which would repeal Article Nine, and allow Japan to once again have projective military capacity.

For the time being, Japan has deployed the Jieitai to aid in a number of non-combat missions, especially those involving humanitarian aid, such as aiding the victims of the 1995 Kobe earthquake, providing administrative support to the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) Norwegian Battalion (NORBATT) in the 1990s, and helping rebuild Iraq.

Some Japanese state a desire to have their own military due to fear of the growing power of China and the hostility of North Korea. They claim that the U.S. has failed to properly address these issues, and therefore Japan must grant itself "the power to defend itself".

In 2004, then-United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan announced a plan to expand the number of permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council, and Japan seeks to gain one of those seats. Despite Japan's economic power and political influence, however, it is debatable whether or not a country with no standing military can be considered a "world power" such that it would be granted a permanent seat on the Council. Recent disputes with neighboring countries like China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Russia over territories such as the Senkaku Islands, Liancourt Rocks, and the Kuril Islands, as well as accusations of Japanese whitewashing of history in various textbook controversies have also complicated this process.

reply to post by CanadianDream420


and Israel on Iran.. and the muslim worls wiping Israel off the map.

Argentina might use that chance to take the falklands and the oil there.

China might use that time to also wage war upon the countries they require.

Russia may retake the soviet bloc.

Which war will break first?

NKorea vs SK/Japan/US?
or
Israel vs Lebanon.Hezbollah/Syria?

We will have to aid in both....and after the Patriot Missile Act deployed in Poland by the USA, Russia will most likely not join our side..which might push China into a tougher decision.

Originally posted by Raider of Truth
reply to post by CanadianDream420

 

and Israel on Iran.. and the muslim worls wiping Israel off the map.

Argentina might use that chance to take the falklands and the oil there.

China might use that time to also wage war upon the countries they require.

Russia may retake the soviet bloc.

So..

I take it we believe WWIII will be a land-grab-saga?

I still think a war vs. N. Korea is a pretty remote possibility. If it comes, though, it won't be started by our side, nor do I think China will be willing to get involved.

I think China will avoid siding directly against N. Korea, and will act as a conduit for talks through this mess. They need to avoid cozying up too much with our side (at least publicity, no matter what they believe about who's at fault), because to do so could only back N. Korea into a corner which might cause them to lash out irrationally. Yes, N. Korea is not an entirely rational actor as it is, but they aren't so crazy as they like to appear, IMO. There always is a logic to what they do, even if it's a bit skewed or doesn't make sense to us at first, or on the surface. The most likely logic in this case seems to be some sort of an internal power struggle, I think.

The fact that they provide land bases so close to the Korean peninsula must count for quite a lot. I mean, yes the US has some awesome carriers, but you can't launch and recover really big planes like refueling tankers and AC-135's (My personal favorite military plane of all time.) from carriers.

reply to post by CanadianDream420


A good point, I would make the observation that it is not "land grab" but resources grab. Water, minerals, oil, etc. It has long been postulated that the next series of "conflicts" will be over resources.

Regards to you.

Whats the latest on any updates from either side? Appears that things have quieted down greatly....not even a mention on any of the MSM sites. I take it this thing is in the process of blowing over.

Appears China will remain neutral and not condemn NK:

news.bbc.co.uk...

Originally posted by CanadianDream420
Appears China will remain neutral and not condemn NK:

This is something to worry about i think, if China doesnt see reason to condemn NK then maybe theyre ready to jump in and accuse SK/US of pushing for their war.
Seems like li'l kims visit to china paid off

If a war is to kick off then NK's missiles will not do much good at all for Kim, they are far from state of the art. It's his horde of troops which are the main concern, NK have the 4th largest army in the world and if they invaded the south then they'd annihilate it, unless other countries intervine and fight back against the Northerners.