Japan to allow Combat for the first time since WWII

This has been talked about for a while, now it has happened.

Things continue to get more and more tense in the Pacific.

www.nytimes.com...

a reply to: TheChrome

legislation that would give Japan’s military limited powers to fight in foreign conflicts for the first time since World War II.

Lucky them, now they can have people come home with no arms or legs for naught.

Nothing better than fighting and killing people.

Sounds to me like it's a preparation for WW3 .


US has to make sure Japan is good and ready for when the red phone rings ....

I remember reading some time ago they had troops in Iraq, though I don't know if they fought.

a reply to: TheChrome

Japan don't need to be guilty of their past anymore than Britain, USA, France, Germany......etc
They paid for it.

China telling them to watch their step made me laugh, who the **ck are China to be issuing advice on non-aggressive conduct...

originally posted by: Char-Lee
a reply to: TheChrome

legislation that would give Japan’s military limited powers to fight in foreign conflicts for the first time since World War II.

Lucky them, now they can have people come home with no arms or legs for naught.

Yes, the people are not happy about it. I also an across an article that says they most likely will start patrols and anti-submarine operations in the South China Sea.

www.theguardian.com...

This is so Japan can help defend the Philippines, Vietnam or other Pacific states. Until now, despite working with India, Vietnam and the Philippines Japan has no way to help them if China engaged them. They could only help the US in defense of Japan. Now they can. Do not expect them to be deploying all over the world. They have a small naval base in Djibouti to support their ships in the anti piracy patrols but. other than that I would not expect much.

a reply to: MrSpad

This is about the island building China has been doing in the South China Sea.

The construction of new islands has stopped, but those already near completion will be finished. It's a chess match for control of the sea lanes and not conducive to good relations with the countries involved, including the West.

In that video clip, PM Shinzo Abe says that this legislation allowing war is meant to prevent war. Aside from the apparent doublethink, that has a ring of inevitability to it. I wonder what he's not letting on?

originally posted by: EA006
China telling them to watch their step made me laugh, who the **ck are China to be issuing advice on non-aggressive conduct...

Victims of the Rape of Nanking, for starters. As much publicity as Pearl Harbor and the Bataan Death March get, they were NOTHING compared to what the Japanese military did in Nanking. We're talking Nazi Holocaust level atrocities (albeit on a 90% smaller scale victim-wise.)

a reply to: CriticalStinker

They deployed engineers to help rebuild, not combat troops.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

Can't disagree with you on those points. You forgot to mention the terrible treatment of Koreans during those pre-WWII actions by Japan.

Goes to show that while generations may pass, long memories do not. History can be a pain.

However, China is doing some major 'projecting' these days and I can understand why this push for combat-ready troops is on.

a reply to: EA006

Long, long, long memories.

Japan and China have a very long, tempestuous history dating back thousands of years, well, hundreds any way... Lot's of bad blood.

Make no mistake, even Japans allies are going to be watching very, very closely. Just like all of Europe watches Germany.

History.

a reply to: masqua

No doubt on that. While memories and scars take a long time to heal, it also is a testament to just how quickly a culture can change for the better. The Japan of my lifetime bears absolutely zero resemblance to the Japan of my Grandfather's lifetime. Unfortunately, that change can also be for the worst just as quickly. Much of the Middle East is a good example. Countries that were quite friendly and amicable to the rest of the world turned into enemies virtually overnight by little more than poor foreign policy and war.

a reply to: seagull

I am aware of the history.

China's human rights record isn't sparkling either.

In order to forge a safer world they have to put that history aside. It will never be forgotten.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

We're talking Nazi Holocaust level atrocities (albeit on a 90% smaller scale victim-wise.)

So not the same thing then based on this ^ statement....

a reply to: EA006

No, not the same thing, but just as disgusting. It's fact that the invading Japanese were surprised by the resistance the Chinese put up and took revenge on the innocents in that war. That revenge was particularly brutal in Nanking.

However, I'd rather not get into the graphic details of that scene... a simple search will do that.

As far as the Japanese proposing combat-ready troops goes, I think it's a smart move when the rhetoric is ramping up and the sea lanes in the South China Seas threaten stability within the region.

Would rather have countries like Japan and Germany be rather in the docile non combative roles like they have been since the WWII.

However, problem is the commie minded Chinese who still believe in land expansion type foreign policies. Chinese policies are oppressive and if given a free hand would pretty much rule over the small nations in Asia.

a reply to: EA006

Atrocities are about a lot more than just a body count, my friend.