Japan Sounds Alarm On "Unprecedented, Critical And Imminent” Threat From North Korea

AP News ^

[JP1201]

CLARK, Philippines (AP) — Japan's defense minister asserted Monday that North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities have grown to an "unprecedented, critical and imminent" level, requiring "different responses" to the threat.

The minister, Itsunori Odonera, said that this rising threat compels his country to endorse the U.S. view that "all options" must be considered, which President Donald Trump says includes possible military action. Japan was alarmed by North Korea twice launching missiles over Japanese territory, in August and in September.

Odonera's comments, made through an interpreter, came at the outset of a so-called trilateral meeting in the Philippines with U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and South Korea's defense minister, Song Young-moo. Each made statements about North Korea before a group of reporters and news cameras, but none took questions.

[Gay State Conservative]

I can see why the Japanese would be soiling their undies these days.Ditto the South Koreans...and the residents of Guam for that matter.

[SamAdams76]

Trump will be out in that area in a week or two. I think things are coming to head in that region. If Rocket Man feels like he’s pushed into a corner, he might decide to make an aggressive move to make mischief during Trump’s trip. I trust that we have contingency plans in place for that.

[beethovenfan]

Not to worry. Jimmah is on it.

[SLB]

I imagine there are contingency plans, but bet the secret service is still getting some grey hair over this.

[Mariner]

It’s a cryin’ darn shame the Philippines and US allowed Clark AB to deteriorate to what it is today.

It would be an EXCELLENT second base for B-1B and B-52 bombers (has the runway size). And also is strategically positioned to give China great pause on their South China Sea ambitions.

Half of our deployed bombers AND fighters from the Pacific Command should be there.

Like the good old days...

[jjsheridan5]

North Korea has had 60+ years to make an aggressive move (at least, a move aggressive enough to warrant a military response). Wouldn’t they have done so, by now, if they really wanted to push a final resolution? Why now, would they take on the US, when they had so much time in the past when they could have done so?

I suspect that the simplest and most obvious answer is also the correct one. They have no interest in an actual conflict with the US (or any regional power), but they do have an interest in the amount of leverage they can apply in negotiations. They know that a NK which can threaten a significant offensive nuclear move, and possibly an EMP attack as well, is in an infinitely better negotiating position than a NK which can only threaten a local attack featuring WWII-era weaponry.

I would personally be shocked if they did anything that crossed the line between things that we can let slide, and things where we have no choice but to respond militarily.

[Mariner]

“I suspect that the simplest and most obvious answer is also the correct one. “

How about: They now believe nukes make them immune to invasion and regime change.

It’s just as plausible as your reasoning.

[Gen.Blather]

It is not unusual to have fighter planes nearby even when the POTUS is stateside.

[samtheman]

I agree with you... for now.

[ssaftler]

I imagine there are contingency plans

Complete with Special Forces teams ready to head up the Taedong River into Central Pyongyang if necessary.

[DoughtyOne]

You’re overthinking this IMO.

Kim now thinks he can blackmail the U. S. into doing what he wants.

He’s wrong.

This WILL come to a head.

We simply cannot let a nation like his have the ability to disrupt our society in ways that could cost the lives of tens of millions of our citizens.

[jjsheridan5]

How about: They now believe nukes make them immune to invasion and regime change ... It’s just as plausible as your reasoning.

It is "just as plausible" that they believe that nukes make them immune (a belief that would rival the belief in the tooth fairy, or that Megyn Kelley is a journalist), as it is to believe that they are just doing a variation of what they have done for the last 60 years? Really??? While NK is the most evil and malevolent regime to occupy the earth in probably the last century, they are not blithering idiots. They may not care about their people, the rest of the world, but the people in leadership positions in NK would know enough to know that there is no realistic way that possession of nukes would mean that an invasion of SK would result in anything other than their complete annihilation. If they were that disconnected from reality, they would have invaded by now.

No, they will not jeopardize their possession of power (and all of the alcohol, food, power, and teenage girls that come with it), chasing a fairy tale. They are posturing, and know that they are safe as long as nobody gets killed. If they were as suicidal as you seem to think they were, they wouldn't have remained behind the DMZ for as long as they have. Suicidal regimes don't tend to hold power for 60 years.

[SaveFerris]

[Trump will be out in that area in a week or two.]

Yeah.....I’m just sitting here wondering how crazy Fatboy is.

I’m sure they’ll take all the precautions they can.

[libertylover]

North Korea has had 60+ years to make an aggressive move

Yes, but...

Rocket Man is not his father or his grandfather and he now has much more power than they ever did.

I think what he really wants is an Obama-style airplane load of $100 bills.

[jjsheridan5]

You’re overthinking this IMO.

LOL. The people overthinking this are the ones who think that they are doing anything different than they have done for decades.

We simply cannot let a nation like his have the ability to disrupt our society in ways that could cost the lives of tens of millions of our citizens.

Newsflash: we already have. And we are not going to risk a significant nuclear strike just in a futile effort to turn back the clock.

[caww]

You are correct stating....”They are posturing, and know that they are safe as long as nobody gets killed. If they were suicidal... they wouldn’t have remained behind the DMZ for as long as they have”...

Exactly....

[DoughtyOne]

We simply cannot let a nation like his have the ability to disrupt our society in ways that could cost the lives of tens of millions of our citizens.

Newsflash: we already have. And we are not going to risk a significant nuclear strike just in a futile effort to turn back the clock.

Sorry bud, but you're wrong on a number of counts.

Remind me what other nation is starving it's citizens to develop nuclear weapons.

Name one other nation that has fired off missiles of neighbor nations.

Name one one nation that has declared it will attack the United States using it's nuclear weapons.

Wake the F up.

[jjsheridan5]

I think what he really wants is an Obama-style airplane load of $100 bills.

Of course. Although, given that they run a massive counterfeiting operation of $100 bills, you really have to question whether that is precisely the goal. But, either way, they are calculating that, over time, they will be paid off. Maybe by us. Maybe by countries in the region. But they are not doing this pro bono.

[DoughtyOne]

CAWW, they didn’t attack the DMZ because they would have been met with the full force of the United States military.

With one EMP attack, the Western United States goes dark.

You folks are trying to judge what a crazy man would do, by a rational man’s mind.

FAIL