[DB]

Maybe, maybe not.

There's one thing for sure. China does not want a nuclear armed Japan. As of today, that is a very real possibility.

[Zhang Fei]

There's one thing for sure. China does not want a nuclear armed Japan. As of today, that is a very real possibility.

Japan won't go nuke. Not if they want to remain under the American conventional and nuclear umbrella*. (As a multi-decade recipient of cost-free security, the Japanese also think it's Uncle Sam's job to protect them. Why spend huge amounts of money if somebody else will protect you - better - for free?) We have extended our protection to many Asian countries on one condition - that their forces remain conventional. The moment they go nuclear, the offers of protection are off. This is how we prevented South Korea and Taiwan from going nuclear. Why do we do this? Because our word counts for something. If there's going to be a nuclear war involving the US, we want only American fingers on the nuclear button on our side.

* The nuclear umbrella means that a nuclear attack on them will provoke an American nuclear response. This is not commonly known, but it is a fact.

[lentulusgracchus]

China does not want a nuclear armed Japan. As of today, that is a very real possibility.

I-think-you're-right bump.

I don't want a nuclear-armed Japan, especially one deploying eight-to-ten nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.

I like Japan as an ally, but news that they were suddenly building CVA(N)'s and SSN's would make me rather nervous.

[djf]

China does not want a nuclear armed Japan.

Yup. I said that on another thread. Also, they know as well as everyone else that Kim is a middle-aged-crisis nutbar narcissist.

Even though the Chinese are communists, they are sensible enough to realize that the only thing that can come out of this is regional and economic instability.

[oceanview]

a shipment to japan would be leaving lawrence livermore today, if I had my way.