Japan Claims China Poses 'Considerable' Military Threat

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 12-23-2005

[blam]

Japan claims China poses 'considerable' military threat

(Filed: 23/12/2005)

Japan's new foreign minister has awakened an old feud with China by attacking its lack of transparency and describing its increased military spending as a "threat".

Taro Aso said: "It's a neighbouring country with nuclear bombs, and its military expenditure has been on the rise for 12 years. It's beginning to pose a considerable threat."

Mr Aso's words drew an angry response from China, which has itself attacked Japan for its "militarism". A spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry said: "As a foreign minister, to so irresponsibly incite such groundless rhetoric about a China threat, what is the purpose?"

China is trying to persuade the world that its economic rise, accompanied by military modernisation, is driven by peaceful intent. It is also critical of Japan, and its prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, for paying respects at the Yasukuni war shrine, which it says honours war criminals.

Mr Koizumi has shown little sign of backing down. He risked a flare-up of feeling in China by appointing Mr Aso, a noted hawk, in October.

[Perdogg]

I think it's time for Japan to step up to the plate and do something about it. They need to revise their constitution. That era is over.

[DB]

And the sun sets to the west...

China is threat to everyone.

[lesser_satan]

Nippon ping!

[DTogo]

Pinged over here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1545776/posts?page=4#4

[FreedomPoster]

Ping

[claptrap]

The communists have a certain way about them, the US is
mesmerised by them just like a rat staring into the eyes of a snake.(especially politicians and corporate elites)

[claptrap]

The communists have a certain way about them, the US is
mesmerised by them just like a rat staring into the eyes of a snake.(especially politicians and corporate elites)

[Lancer_N3502A]

Big Ping

[Squantos]

http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/051220-F-5964B-161.jpg

http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/051220-F-5742K-001.JPG

We can deliver a load of whupass if they order before christmas......;o)

Merry Christmas FP !

[Semper Paratus]

Is Japan rethinking it's Bushido traditions?

[Candor7]

Let Japan Re-arm. Its going to have to.

[DoughtyOne]

I don't disagree with the sentiment behind your post, but I do think it's clear that China is going to spark nuclear proliferation beyond our wildest dreams.

I'm not convinced that China didn't help North Korea, and I wouldn't be surprised to find out that it's sticky fingers were involved in Iran's program as well.

Russia and possibly China too, are messing with wildfire in Iran. This could come back to haunt them as much as the west, when Iran desiminates it's knowledge to terrorist groups.

How would Russia like to mop up after terrorists nuke one or more of it's southern cities off the face of planet earth?

Are they so blind that they don't understand what this threat could mean to them?

[FreedomPoster]

I've got a buddy that's a C-17 pilot out of Charleston. They just did a 17 ship demonstration airdrop somewhere in the Charleston area, earlier this week.

I haven't seen any pics or video yet. If you seen any, please ping me. Would have loved to have seen that.

[FreedomPoster]

And I just looked at the 2nd pic; that's the event.

[Kuehn12]

In what context are you comments or are you just shooting your mouth off. Yes, I agree that the US military is far superior to the Chinese military. This point might make even more salient that China won't be in fact threatening any nation anytime soon. However, the perception that China's military is this juggernaut will continue. It sticks in the craw that any nation other us might become powerful, and if they do it is natural that they are a threat. It is the playground mentality of geopolitics, which sees any new equipment a country acquires as a prelude to war. I need more information to make that assumption.

[Squantos]

Well first off you rude POS....go bother someone that likes ya....

[Eaker]

Then n00b, why don't you do some reading and learning rather than typing nonsense in a fashion that doesn't even make sense?

[Travis McGee]

Yeah, there was NO reason to worry, back when Germany and Japan starting rearming like mad in the 1930s.

Why, we were just suffering from a 'playground mentality' to be concerned.

[mithradates]

I think a few lessons in history is in order here:

Looking back in the last 1500 years I see many cases of the Japanese attempting invasions of China and Korea, but I don't see the reverse.

Take for example:

800s: Yamato Invasion of Silla (Korea)
1000s: Invasion of Taiwan during the Heian period
1690s: Hideyoshi's Invasion of Korea
1890s: Japanese war with China and Invasion of Korea
1900s: Invasion of China and the rest of East Asia

When I look at Japan, I see a hostile civilization bent on taking over their neighbors. Of course I know that America is allied with Japan, but you guys should understand that EVERY, SINGLE, East Asian country fundementally loathes the Japanese nation. The U.S is supporting a country that has done many evil deeds to many nations in that corner of the world.