Japan says the new military base will be “indispensable” for America’s aircraft carriers
Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
The government of Japan under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is embarrassing for Northeast Asia. It is endlessly appeasing America and making statements that are hostile in intent to regional nations.
Construction started on an island that is uninhabited in the Kagoshima environs. This concerns a military base for the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. It will naturally complement America’s containment policies against China. Also, the urgency will be noted by political elites in Beijing. Therefore, the Kishida administration continues to up the ante against China and Russia – despite neither nation seeking a regional military arms race.
Kyodo News reports, “The project will pave the way for the relocation of the practice site for U.S. fighter jets from Iwoto Island in the Pacific, about 1,250 kilometers south of Tokyo, following the construction work on the 8 square km island.”
The plan to relocate began over a decade ago after a mutual accord between America and Japan. However, opposition and the lack of urgency meant that plans were put on hold. However, it seems that Kishida seeks to utilize the anti-China and anti-Russia cards.
Japan’s anti-Northeast Asia policy and pandering to Western powers – notably America, but also strengthening ties with several European nations and engaging more with Australia (Anglo-Saxon dominated despite recent ethnic demographic changes) is a constant theme under Kishida.
Hirokazu Matsuno, the Chief Cabinet Secretary, gloated that the new military base will be “indispensable” for America. Hence, aircraft carriers of America can monitor the Asia-Pacific region around the clock and further meddle in the affairs of Northeast Asia.
The Chief Cabinet Secretary said the building began earlier, “Given the most severe and complicated security environment of the postwar era, the government will build this facility and begin its operation at an early date.”
This is a distortion because former leader Shinzo Abe – who was brutally assassinated – favored cordial ties with the Russian Federation (even after Crimea reverted to the Russian Federation). Also, while Abe favored the strengthening of Japan’s military – and closer ties with Taiwan: he never endlessly focused on China with the same hostile rhetoric and intent when in power (he did espouse anti-China policies after resigning because of ill health in 2020 concerning the Taiwan issue).
Under Kishida real wages are down by 3.8%, every month is currently a trade deficit, the majority of Covid (coronavirus) deaths under his watch, the Nikkei declined by 9.4% in 2022, the highest inflation of food prices and utilities in recent times, and other negatives. Therefore, the militarist angle is Kishida’s main focus – along with enjoying international meetings with G7 nations. Naturally, the administration of President Joe Biden of America welcomes Kishida’s anti-Northeast Asia policies.
NHK reports, “Japan and the United States say they are reorganizing their defense cooperation to be more effective. This comes as Tokyo is strengthening its capability to respond to attacks, and as both countries say they want to counter China’s attempts to change the status quo.”
Hayashi Yoshimasa, the Foreign Minister, said concerning ongoing militarization, “The joint announcement will present a vision of a modernized alliance that is poised to win. We need to take action with speed to implement this.”
ASEAN nations should also wake up to the military arms race that is being encouraged by America and Japan. After all, the Biden administration will utilize ties between ASEAN and Japan to sow further regional divisions. America will not be content under Biden with a military arms race and sowing greater divisions solely in Northeast Asia: he will also seek the same in the ASEAN bloc aimed at anti-China policies.
In history, America dropped two nuclear bombs on Japan – and then utilized Okinawa to kill Koreans during the Korean War and then replicate this against Vietnam in the Mekong Delta.
The Asia Pacific Journal reports – concerning the Korean War and Vietnam War – “The Pentagon had used Okinawa to stage the 1950-53 Korean War but it was during the Vietnam War that its military build-up truly bore fruit. The first combat troops to be dispatched to South Vietnam – including members of the 3rd Marine Division – came from Okinawa and, over the following years, hundreds of thousands more Americans transited through Okinawa. Tragically, many of those killed in action also passed back through the island, which hosted some of the military’s mortuary services.”
Hence, it seems that the Kishida administration only reads history from the view of America – along with anti-Northeast Asia policies that began during the Meiji Period (1868-1912).
The bypassing of Article 9 under Kishida is rapid.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230112_25/
https://nautilus.org/supporting-documents/japan-under-the-us-nuclear-umbrella/ – Japan under the United States nuclear umbrella – NAUTILUS INSTITUTE
https://apjjf.org/Jon-Mitchell/4308.html
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