“Strange that this would happen under the Kan administration, but then elements of the LDP have always been to cozy with the ChiComs.”
I don’t know japanese politics at all. I have observed how they operate in a few other countries (including the US). The chinese are not stupid in this game, they financially co-opt the dominant party in every country they care to. Between trade deals and presumably outright bribery, it is a pretty smart game.
Anyone wanting to disagree need only look at the US congress the last 15-years or so. Why didn’t the republicans initiate impeachment/major event stuff over the cox report? The chinese aren’t stupid enough to have only patronized/co-opted one party in a situation such as that of the US.
From a realpolitikal perspective, you have to admire them. It bodes ill for my future and that of my children, though.
Oh, you’re definitely right on the money about their ability to co-opt the dominant politicians. Not that it’s very hard to do because the LDP has been so institutionally corrupt for so long, that they never needed much seducing.
Plus there are the same reasons for keeping useless bases open in Japan as we are all familiar with. Among other things, those bases support local economies and thus votes.
Despite the fact that the ground threat against Japan (from Hokkaido south, that is) is pretty much nil these days, that’s where too much of their firepower is concentrated. It’s way past time that Japan officially and openly recognizes that their primary security concern emanates from Beijing and not Moscow.