China's military power

[Musashi_kenshin]

Yeah, but then we come back to that same old problem, Politics. You got a better Chance of putting New Zealand on a war fitting by next week then getting Japan to spend more on Defence within the next 10 years. But we must wait on Abe to make a few big calls on that one.

I would have to dispute that. Japan spends the current amount because it's sufficient for its needs. When Japan's needs cannot be met by the current budget, that budget will increase. We've already seen plans to upgrade the SDF to a ministry, which will make it easier for it to negotiate its budget. There are also on-going discussions about issues like collective self-defence. And the recent North Korea situation has strengthened the hand of the military reformists.

 

[gf0012-aust]

I would have to dispute that. Japan spends the current amount because it's sufficient for its needs. When Japan's needs cannot be met by the current budget, that budget will increase. We've already seen plans to upgrade the SDF to a ministry, which will make it easier for it to negotiate its budget. There are also on-going discussions about issues like collective self-defence. And the recent North Korea situation has strengthened the hand of the military reformists.

totally agree. its becoming rather apparent that Japan is going to change her posture sooner rather than later.

To paraphrase "Limminy Splickets" - a series of unfortunate events have motivated her to change her defence posture and her regional relationships.

eg, there will be forthcoming announcements about closer military relatiosnhips with australia. in the scheme of things thats very small fry - symbolically its huge - it denotes a sea change in how they're going start to participate in world affairs.

Japan arguably has the 2nd most competent navy in the world (and nukes don't always define military competence and capability, no matter how much they go bang) - if she changes her spending habits, then she would widen the gap across a number of spectra...

 

[Rich]

Not really. There were 169 cases resulting in courts-martial between 1988 & 1995 in Japan, by the USN & USMC alone.

Im still waiting to hear the source for this.

 

[icelord]

I would have to dispute that. Japan spends the current amount because it's sufficient for its needs. When Japan's needs cannot be met by the current budget, that budget will increase. We've already seen plans to upgrade the SDF to a ministry, which will make it easier for it to negotiate its budget. There are also on-going discussions about issues like collective self-defence. And the recent North Korea situation has strengthened the hand of the military reformists.

Hmm, what do u mean by collective self defence force?
I won't disagree about the reformists now holding the cards

 

[swerve]

Im still waiting to hear the source for this.

Dayton Daily News, October 8, 1995. Figures compiled by Russell Carollo & colleagues at the Dayton Daily News, using publically available US military records. Not disputed by the US military. They had to file a lot of FOIA requests, & took the army to court because it refused to release its records. Therefore, army records aren't included in that total. The database they've compiled is worldwide, not confined to Japan. I expect they'll be happy to confirm the figures.

You can search their archives here -

http://www.daytondailynews.com/c/content/service/archive/search_form.html

The Base Measures Office (Kichi Taisaku-shitsu) of Okinawa Prefecture was stated by the Mainichi Shimbun on 3rd July 2001 as having recorded 5,006 crimes committed by US servicemen between 1972 & 2000, including 949 assaults causing injuries, & 527 considered major (rape, murder, arson).

 

[eckherl]

totally agree. its becoming rather apparent that Japan is going to change her posture sooner rather than later.

To paraphrase "Limminy Splickets" - a series of unfortunate events have motivated her to change her defence posture and her regional relationships.

eg, there will be forthcoming announcements about closer military relatiosnhips with australia. in the scheme of things thats very small fry - symbolically its huge - it denotes a sea change in how they're going start to participate in world affairs.

Japan arguably has the 2nd most competent navy in the world (and nukes don't always define military competence and capability, no matter how much they go bang) - if she changes her spending habits, then she would widen the gap across a number of spectra...

And I totally agree with you, Japan has a good sound navy with alot of experience and it will be great to see her start participating in world affairs, it`s even a bigger bonus that she will have closer ties with Australia. Japan will not be able to depend on South Korea, the Korean government is geared at appeasing China at the moment.

 

[Big-E]

Personaly I find it kinda repulsive you would spread these kind of rumors on the internet. Unless they have changed things in the US military since Ive been in, and I doubt that, rape is the last thing a young soldier would want to be looking at.

No rumors, just facts... the Japanese have been screwed in more ways than one. To be tried under the UCMJ when the offense happened on foreign soil is crap. It allows for all kinds of abuses of power. You know we protect our own, it doesn't make it right.

Young soldiers/sailors should be thinking about what they could be facing in a military that allows women. We have to be SO much more careful than your generation now that we are co-ed. Anything from innappropriate advances to innocently brushing by a breast can get the cry of rape.

And then there is the fact the father of said shopkeeper may possibly be one of the millions of Japanese troops who raped, tortured, murdered, and en-slaved their way thru an Asian rampage in a manner American troops never would. Funny how people forget eh?

So if there daughter is gang raped and killed they should turn the other cheek... get real! Speaking of spreading rumors it was not millions of Japanese commititing war crimes. If it was millions every single Japanese soldier in the Imperial Army would be guilty. I think it's rather repulsive you would make a blanket statement indicting the ENTIRE Imperial Army. There are bad apples in every unit, we aren't angles unlike the people YOU must have served with.

 

[icelord]

So if there daughter is gang raped and killed they should turn the other cheek... get real! Speaking of spreading rumors it was not millions of Japanese commititing war crimes. If it was millions every single Japanese soldier in the Imperial Army would be guilty. I think it's rather repulsive you would make a blanket statement indicting the ENTIRE Imperial Army. There are bad apples in every unit, we aren't angles unlike the people YOU must have served with.

Agreed, to generalise helps no one, a lot of the Imperial soldiers were very well trained, extremely well discilplined men fighting for their country. But their were perhaps more senior officers and NCOs who were the worst, and deserved to be shot on site for the shit they pulled.

And you use the word possibly, Possibly he wasn't?

 

[Waylander]

@Rich
I think this comment about the Japanese warcrimes is totally bullshit.
Sorry to say that but I don't know what I should say else. :lul

Just imagine somebody raped your daughter and you just get to hear that you also did crimes to the native americans or vietnamese or black slaves. Or if somebody kills my relatives and says that I just should remember what we did during WWII. Or the Britains in Africa, Russians under Stalin, Spanish invaders in South America,...

"Funny, how people forget, eh?"

That all has just nothing to do with things going on these days!

 

[eckherl]

@Rich
I think this comment about the Japanese warcrimes is totally bullshit.
Sorry to say that but I don't know what I should say else. :lul

Just imagine somebody raped your daughter and you just get to hear that you also did crimes to the native americans or vietnamese or black slaves. Or if somebody kills my relatives and says that I just should remember what we did during WWII. Or the Britains in Africa, Russians under Stalin, Spanish invaders in South America,...

"Funny, how people forget, eh?"

That all has just nothing to do with things going on these days!

I am in total agreement here, this is nothing but shit. practically every country that is out there has skeletons in it`s closet, can we get back to modern times now.

 

[KGB]

I am in total agreement here, this is nothing but shit. practically every country that is out there has skeletons in it`s closet, can we get back to modern times now.

The war crimes bit does make good political milage. The same way Israel is for more than one Mideast state; if it didn't exist, another bogeyman/threat would have to be invented.

 

[Pathfinder-X]

I sense political bullshit. Please get back on topic before I pull the plug. The topic is about the military growth of China, not sex crimes.

 

[Musashi_kenshin]

Hmm, what do u mean by collective self defence force?
I won't disagree about the reformists now holding the cards

I said "collective self defence", not a "collective self defence force".

Collective self defence is where you agree to support your allies if they are attacked, because not helping them would lead to your own security being threatened if they are defeated.

Whether Japan can come to the aid of its allies if they are under attack is a question that is being considered again - under the current interpretation of the law it cannot. Which is pretty daft, as I'm sure most people would agree.

 

[pie1536]

155mm SPH

Seem like too many Self Propelled Howitzer (SPH) been purchase in this region lately as well in Europe. It like the SPH was required so badly in order to survive in a conflict and winning it perhaps. Korean , Russian , France and Germany seem to get all the benefits. Since the last Lubnan war, Generals at every country had come to notice to this equipment. Malaysian, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Philiphine already put a point to get this new power as to increase the number in hold.

plz reply

 

[Francis]

I am suspicious of the risisng power of China and it's military . Nato and the European Union Should stop their sphere of influence from growing or there might be a rebirth of communist Ideas around the world . One thing for sure I am opposed to communism .

 

[Francis]

There have been disputes on exact budget of the PLA some say $30-90 billion USD while others say $50 - 60 billion USD . Does anyone know the exact budget?

 

[Waylander]

At least we don't seem to have any problems with China be it militarily or economical.
We are still giving them 350.000.000 € developement aid each ear. (No this is not a joke ).

 

[Big-E]

At least we don't seem to have any problems with China be it militarily or economical.
We are still giving them 350.000.000 € developement aid each ear. (No this is not a joke ).

Germany gives them 350 million quid a year?

 

[contedicavour]

Germany gives them 350 million quid a year?

I wouldn't worry too much for the Germans... they know how to negotiate huge deals in exchange for that development/r&d money...
what I have in mind is infrastructure spending (both in telecommunications and in railways and highways), car construction (the JVs with VW), aircraft construction (Airbus consortium), energy production (up to nuclear)...

Besides, Germany at least is not the first in line in military exports to China... other Western countries are exporting much much more technology that can be used for military purposes (yes, France... ranging from helicopters to missiles)

cheers

 

[swerve]

Germany gives them 350 million quid a year?

Euros - about 235 million quid.