From: angelina
Category: Other stuff
Date: 07 February 2004
The Japanese word for army - JI-EI-TAI, literally translated means "self defence corps". The Pacifist policy occupied in the aftermath of WW2 meant that Japan would be allowed to defend itself but not attack ie. if anyone invaded Japanese waters for example, the mighty forces of the Navy (the most powerful in Asia apparently) would see them off, but they would not be pro-active in fighting (is this a paradox in itself anyway..?)So what's this arse-licking of Bush about then? Fair enough, Japan has a lot to owe as national security depends on US protection, during the years of the cold War it was only the base in southernmost Okinawa which kept the Ruskies from the north using the Japanese isles as their battlefield (there is a long disputed group of Northern islands like a mini Falklands in the North of Japan), blah blah blah…
There are lots of issues. Firstly, can an army whose main training has been to help sandbag burst riverbanks and evacuate earthquake areas cope with the realities of war. Secondly, there is and has always been a core group of hardcore militant fascists in Japan who will no doubt rise up like the rising sun of the national flag, trying to proclaim Japan as powerful enough to stand up to the big boys. Thirdly, a nation who has become insular by not participating in military politics is going to be apathetic in being ani-war, let alone pro-war. So the government is gonna do what the F they like, basically.
During WW2 villagers in remote parts of Japan were training with bamboo spears in case the Americans invaded. They didn’t reckon on the H bomb. Now it’s time for Japan to step in the ring, at best they may be the butt of jokes (hey, they were the original suicide bombers!) but at worst, they might suffer real casualties and become another lapdog to the West.
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