Japan threatens to launch airstrikes against North Korea

[Frimost]

It's a pretty slow monrning, so even though I read this last week I decided to dig it out for anyone who might be mildly interested or have a passive curiosity on it.


Japan threatens force against N Korea

Japan has warned it would launch a pre-emptive military action against North Korea if it had firm evidence Pyongyang was planning a missile attack.
Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba said it would be "a self-defence measure" if North Korea was going to "resort to arms against Japan".

Mr Ishiba said it would be too late if a North Korean missile was already on its way.

And from CNN:
Japan ready for N. Korea attack

TOKYO, Japan -- Japan has warned it would attack North Korea if it had evidence Pyongyang was preparing to launch ballistic missiles, Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba has said.

Ishiba's statement is expected to send shockwaves across East Asia, and marks a dramatic escalation in the crisis over North Korea's nuclear program.

"It is too late if [a missile] flies towards Japan," Ishiba told Reuters in an interview on Thursday.

"Our nation will use military force as a self-defense measure if [North Korea] started to resort to arms against Japan," he said, adding that Japan could regard the process of injecting fuel into a missile as the start of military attack.

"The balance of power in the region is being lost and that's a threat to peace," said Liberal Party MP Shingo Nishimura, a former vice-defence minister in the coalition government.

"We have to regain the balance as North Korea builds up its nuclear weapons capability.

"We need to be able to threaten mutually assured destruction - to say to North Korea 'your cities will be destroyed if you push the button'."

Mr Nishimura wants to permit the US to bring nuclear missiles onto Japanese soil. As the only country to have suffered atomic war, Japan has always followed a resolutely non-nuclear policy. Few politicians even dare raise the subject.

But Shunji Yanai, who helped direct North Korea policy for a decade, said all bets would be off if the North Koreans tested a nuclear weapon.

Analysis: Fighting talk in Japan

 

[HeavyStick]

Marine Corps Air Station in Iwakuni Japan, can send several squadrons of jets there (DPRK) in very short notice.

 

[Guest]

Japan failed to realise her dream of creating Great Asian Empire in 1945. This time around, she will succeed. She is with the Empire of America.

 

[MunchinMark]

Korea's nearest and most obvious target is Japan. With all that deep cold war style posturing I'd be a bit concerned if I was Japanese too.

 

[teddybear4play]

Isn't Japan against an American strike against Iraq, though? Seems to me that they have the reasoning down for preemptive action.

TB4p

 

[Guest]

It's against Japanese constitution to go to war nor does she possess Nuke. Her DEFENCE Forces are crap.

Japan's pre-emptive strick is other words for US military striking N. Korea on behalf of Japan.

 

[Frimost]

Crap?
Says who?

Japan is FAAAARRRR more powerful then Canada and Australia put together.

Japan: 239,800 Active armed forces + 47,400 reserves
1,050 main battle tanks, 12 frigates, 42 destroyers, 16 attack submarines, 297 combat aircaft (including 130 F-15J's).

 

[busybody..]

Isn't Japan against an American strike against Iraq, though? Seems to me that they have the reasoning down for preemptive action.

TB4p

Gee, BUSYbear......

Please stop bring up HYPO-crassy........

I guess what good for them

Aint for US!

 

[busybody..]

Crap?
Says who?

Japan is FAAAARRRR more powerful then Canada and Australia put together.

Japan: 239,800 Active armed forces + 47,400 reserves
1,050 main battle tanks, 12 frigates, 42 destroyers, 16 attack submarines, 297 combat aircaft (including 130 F-15J's).

Frim

You cant equate mere numbers with ability

Whatever happened to the worlds 4th largest army? Remember Iraq in 91?

The MAIN defense of Japan.....indeed the WHOLE free world is AMERICA!

 

[dickE]

It's against Japanese constitution to go to war nor does she possess Nuke. Her DEFENCE Forces are crap.

Japan's pre-emptive strick is other words for US military striking N. Korea on behalf of Japan.

Unless they use JAL and hand-grenades!!

 

[Frimost]

You cant equate mere numbers with ability

Whatever happened to the worlds 4th largest army? Remember Iraq in 91?

These aren't ignorant, rag-tag Arabs were talking about busybody. We have already fought them once and they fought their asses off because they are very proficient, well-trained, motivated, efficient, well-led, and courageous soldiers brimming with pride and morale.

Their equipment is just as good as ours, hell, in many cases it it ours! lol
The Japanese Type-90 main battle tank is every bit just as good as the M-1 Abrams.

 

[busybody..]

They have not had practice since 1945........

They dont live in a perpetual state of military alertness.....

You could be right......

I believe that with the new weapons available the NK's will be obliterated QUICKLY......

But their flying death bombs will/can cause havoc......

But in any war they are TOAST!

 

[Frimost]

Yeah their Self Defense Forces have problems, granted. That is a given considering how long since they have seen combat and the prostitutes they enroll into their ranks to keep the men happy.

But still, it’s all relative, Japan is still a First-World Industrialized and wealthy nation and the things we consider problems in our militaries are far less serious compared to the major defects of Third-World militaries like Iraq for example.

 

[dickE]

Yeah their Self Defense Forces have problems, granted. That is a given considering how long since they have seen combat and the prostitutes they enroll into their ranks to keep the men happy.

But still, it’s all relative, Japan is still a First-World Industrialized and wealthy nation and the things we consider problems in our militaries are far less serious compared to the major defects of Third-World militaries like Iraq for example.

Lemme get this straight, Frimost.............you're there, your dick in hand, and we're supposa take you seriously??

 

[Frimost]

Lemme get this straight, Frimost.............you're there, your dick in hand, and we're supposa take you seriously??

I don't have my dick in my hand right now, jeez!

The fact is I always have the facts available at hand when engaging in such discussions like this, while many of you don't and talk out of your butt. That is why you should take me seriously, because I come prepared.


Main Battle Tanks
Japan: 1,200 (1995)
United Kingdom: 506 (1997)

 

[dickE]

I don't have my dick in my hand right now, jeez!

The fact is I always have the facts available at hand when engaging in such discussions like this, while many of you don't and talk out of your butt. That is why you should take me seriously, because I come prepared.


Yes! We see how "prepared" you come {I'm funnin', of course}