JAPAN ROLLS OUT MISSILE SHIELD PLAN

NYT ^ | August 30, 2003 | James Brooke

[FreepForever]

PING
Freepmail me for on and off list.

[Travis McGee]

About damn time.

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

So the dominos begin to fall

[Brian Allen]

<< About damn time. >>

By way of America's continuing post-WW-II occupation, Japan is already effectively nuclear armed.

As are, come to that -- and by way of friendship and very very frequent United States Naval ship and United States Air Force visits, to the extent of a permanent presence in both countries -- Singapore and Australia.

Guess that leaves only New Zealand's femmunist gang on the side of the Peking-based psychopathologically-predatory criminal gang that calls itself "china" and that gang's squalid satellite state, north korea.

And Burma.

Good ruck, Kiwis! [Burn in Hell, Burmans!]

[Travis McGee]

Don't bother the pink and green Kiwis. They don't matter a whit. Make nice boats though.

[FreepForever]

I recall having heard one Japanese politician leaked (deliberately) that Japan too has some nuclear fuel rods unaccounted for and (if required) can assemble a "shake-and-bake" nuclear device within 6 months to a year.

Oops! Sorry Kim!

[Brian Allen]

<< Make nice boats though. >>

And sail them well, too.

For the Swiss!

Warm ones -- Brian

[dsc]

"and (if required) can assemble a "shake-and-bake" nuclear device within 6 months to a year."

Pooh. If they can't do it in a week, I'll be a monkey's uncle. Just a matter of bringing together the hidden-in-plain-sight components.

[RippleFire]

An so far, unlike the USA, no whining wing nuts complaining about it. Although I'm sure they'll show up.

[Imal]

Be careful what you wish for. China may very well seek to control New Zealand so they can cash in on the filming of the Lord of the Rings prequel, The Hobbit. They may even try to assert creative control of the project.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

[Steel Wolf]

With the new blueprint, Japan - the world's fourth-biggest military spender, after the United States, Russia and China - realigns portions of its $42 billion defense budget to parry the new threat from North Korea.

Bad news for the People's Republic. Japan has an excellent military, except that it is severely limited in some areas due to their constitution. If they amend it at some point China will very quickly find themselves next to a lethal, high tech, and well organized neighbor.

China's military is largely bloated and inept, and would have a tough time dealing with the Japanese as it is. If Japan starts down the road of 'remilitarization' to defend against North Korea, they will create formidable defenses against the Chinese as well. If Japan crosses the line into 'offensive weaponry' on a large scale, China can forget about any Pacific designs.

Not a good day to be the bad guy. Right about now they must feel pretty stupid for backing North Korea for so long.

[anniegetyourgun]

Where's ours?

[norwaypinesavage]

What a stupid story. Everyone knows that a missle defense doesn't work.

[rickmichaels]

Aware that its constitution forbids Japan from possessing offensive weapons...

Time for an amendment.

[steveegg]

Everyone knows that a missle defense doesn't work.

Here's a few "everyone knows" that have been proven wrong:

"Everyone knows...

• ...the world is flat."
• ...the Earth is the center of the Universe/solar system."
• ...if man were meant to fly, he would have wings."
• ...the speed of sound can't be broken."
• ...Rush Limbaugh would never succeed with a national conservative radio talk show."

Need I list more?

[steveegg]

Ping (though I suspect you already know about this).

[AmericanInTokyo]

i know a number of people working on this program. there are also some lucrative business opportunities for american firms. they will take the technology to defend against pyongyang from where ever they can get it.

[NonValueAdded]

Droll Annie, very droll.

And absolutely correct, BTW.

[jriemer]

Star Wars-san! But seriously, It would be interesting if they opt for a ground based or airbased missle defense system. If they chose to piggyback on the the the Boeing ABL system, Japan would not have fixed targets that could be eliminated in a quick-strike scenario. They could follow the SAC "doomsday plane" plan and keep the ABLs flying 24/7 in depth to protect civilian areas.

Considering that Japan has a long history of Lefist domestic terrorism, a ground-based missile defense emplacements would be a prime target for attacks by sympathetic groups and sabatours.

Disclosure: jriemer does not nor ever has worked for the Boeing company or any of its subsidaries or suppliers.