It's high time for Japan to re-emerge as a full member of the family of nations, admit to the need for, yes, a full-fledged military and serve to assist the US in checking and balancing the threats gathering in Peking.
" It's high time for Japan to re-emerge as a full member of the family of nations, admit to the need for, yes, a full-fledged military and serve to assist the US in checking and balancing the threats gathering in Peking."
Precisely!
When Kim Il lobbed ICBM over mainland Japan the lights went on in Tokyo.
Japan must begin to rearm to meet the military might of China once China fully absorbs the trillions of new revenue from the West (USA). And there can be no doubt in Japan that it will eventually be ground zero for China - especially if there is nothing militarily in the way blocking said conquest.
S. Korea has played us long enough and is now financially able to maintain it's own edge over N.K. militarily.
Also, by not offering up troops in the war on terror in Iraq, S. K. has cut themselves off for the foreseeable future of any increases or possibly status quo in US troops stationed there for their border defense.
Lots of trees shakin'