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The government announced tax hikes, which can only further exacerbate the disastrous demographic ”black hole” which is set to get even worse in the coming years with nearly 1,400,000 deaths and only 840,000 births per year.
Written by Drago Bosnic, independent geopolitical and military analyst
In the aftermath of the Second World War, Japan went through a process of thorough demilitarization. The country’s militaristic ideology, the effects of which were disastrous for the entire Asia Pacific region during WWII, was also dismantled by American occupation forces. The changes were codified in the new Japanese constitution which effectively banned the country from possessing a fully fledged military.
This changed to a certain degree during the zenith of the (First) Cold War when the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) essentially became the country’s military, although its role was limited to effectively being a footnote within the larger context of US-led “Free World” security policies. This approach lasted up until recently, when Tokyo decided to start a massive rearmament program aimed at turning Japan into a major military power.
On December 16, the Japanese government announced a $320 billion program that would make it possible for the JSDF to launch standoff strikes against China and other regional adversaries (presumably North Korea). Reportedly, the plan also involves the expansion of Japanese military power to include the ability to maintain a sustained front against advanced opponents. Speculation about the program started in late November when Tokyo hinted it could soon equip its submarines with long range missiles. According to a report by the Naval News, the Japanese Defense Ministry announced it was in the process of extending the range of its Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles deployed by the Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) from the current 200 km to a maximum of 1,200 km.
A Reuters report claims the new military plan would take approximately five years to complete and would also make Japan the world’s third largest military spender, right after the United States and China. The program would also focus on logistics as it would include the stockpiling of spare parts and various types of munitions, expanding transport capacity, as well as the development of cyber warfare capabilities.
The deal is also set to benefit the Japanese military industry, as companies such as the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are expected to be at the helm of the development efforts for long-range missiles that are set to constitute the backbone of the country’s new military power projection in the Asia-Pacific region. The company is currently involved in a project to develop Japan’s next generation fighter jet. The effort, which also includes corporate giants such as the BAE Systems and Leonardo SPA, is a joint venture between Japan, the UK and Italy. So far, the project received at least $5.6 billion in funding.
Foreign companies, particularly those from the US, are also expected to benefit from Japan’s (re)militarization efforts. Additionally, Tokyo says it plans to arm its ships with the latest iteration of the “Tomahawk” cruise missile (most likely referring to the new Block V) made by the Raytheon Technologies. According to Reuters, other weapons set to be acquired as part of the new five year program will very likely include interceptor missiles for ballistic targets (apparently including the troubled ship-borne “Aegis” and its land-based “Aegis Ashore” version), attack and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) drones, satellite communications equipment, F-35 fighter jets, helicopters, submarines, warships and heavy-lift transport jets.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida recently stated that “Japan is at a turning point in history,” adding that “the ramp-up in its military was my answer to the various security challenges that we face.” According to Reuters, Kishida’s government is allegedly concerned that “Russia has set a precedent that will encourage China to attack Taiwan, threatening nearby Japanese islands, disrupting supplies of advanced semiconductors and putting a potential stranglehold on sea lanes that supply Middle East oil.” Needless to say, the claim that Russia set a precedent is quite bemusing, especially when considering the countless examples of the massive scope of US aggression against the world.
Expectedly, the program will be closely coordinated with the US, as shown in a separate national security document in which Tokyo pledged to maintain close security ties with Washington DC and its other vassals. The US itself was quick to show public support for the program. US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel stated that “the Prime Minister is making a clear, unambiguous strategic statement about Japan’s role as a security provider in the Indo-Pacific.” In addition, the cooperation is apparently also set to include China’s breakaway island province of Taiwan. During a meeting with Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Chairman Mitsuo Ohashi on Friday, the incumbent head of the government in Taipei Tsai Ing-wen stated she expected greater defence cooperation with Japan.
“We look forward to Taiwan and Japan continuing to create new cooperation achievements in various fields such as national defence and security, the economy, trade, and industrial transformation,” Reuters claims the presidential office cited Tsai as saying.
The plan is expected to double Japan’s military expenditures to around 2% of the country’s GDP over a period of five years. The previous 1% limit was self-imposed in 1976, nearly 50 years ago. This is also set to increase the share of military expenditures to around 10% of all public spending. To secure funding for the program, the current Japanese government announced tax hikes, which can only further exacerbate the country’s woes, including the disastrous demographic situation which is set to get even worse in the coming years.
With nearly 1,400,000 deaths and approximately 840,000 births per year, Japan is highly unlikely to get out of its current demographic “black hole”. And yet, instead of focusing on preventing further societal decline, the Japanese government is still blindly following the suicidal US diktat by investing precious remaining resources into a military project which is bound to fail from the start, as China’s unrelenting rise will dwarf anything its opponents could hope to accomplish.
You’d better reinforce yourself even Japan! China will want revenge for the crimes committed in Nanjing can bet that China will do the same in Tokyo.
I thinks China don’t want revenge Japan because Japan already suffer heavy loss of life during fighting and bombed by 2 US nuclear bomb, I thinks China has a good sign of the future by promoting peace trade , prosperity with countries around the world .
Japan needs its head examined. Its future is to be on friendly terms with China, its biggest trading partner and near neighbour. Its nearest neighbour is Russia, in Saxalin, which is rich in oil. If the Japanese used their brains, they would make an alliance with Russia, ditch the American “alliance” (really neocolonialism) and kick the Americans off the Ryukyus. In return the Russians would return the Japanese Kurils (Kunashir, Iturup, Urup) in exchange for heavyweight Japanese investment in developing the Russian Far East and being a reliable customer for a secure supply of oil with minimal transportation costs.
All correct, but Japanese political scene is fully directed by their American masters who treat Japan like their bitch (which Japan de facto is).
Haven´t they got an emperor (Naruhito) who is NOT answerable to the Americans? Pretty sure the politicos would obey the emperor rather than Brandon in America.
Abe was murdered because he didn’t okay his US master.
“In return the Russians would return” No way, it’s Russia, we fought for this twice. Invaders must defeat Russia, if they dare. Japan has no chance to occupy our land and win a war to hold it. That’s all.
Japan has been under the occupation of the US since WWII. It is not a sovereign nation, especially regarding its foreign policy. They have been ordered to increase the tax to purchase useless and overpriced American weapon systems from their masters in DC. Unfortunately, only a handful of Japanese citizens have realized that.
History has shown us that people without integrity get promoted to positions of power, take bribes, and destroy nations of good folk. Japan is no exception, I love the people and culture of the Japanese, but they are again heading down the road to destruction.
33-35 million of murdered chinese people and hundreds millions of their relatives have a strong doubt about good folk of Japan. Same as millions of people in Korea. “Good folk” of Japan is like a “good folk” of Germany + some other states who support nazis then and now. I do believe in good individuals, but not in good folks. Any folk consist from very different individuals, so cannot be graded as a single person.
I wonder if this is why Abe got murdered
Good. 500000 more dead people per year than babies. In 12 years this is 6 million. This is good Japan. 12 years divided by 2 is 6+6 plus the 6 million. This is 666, this is good good Japan.
You are a good kabbalist, he-he.
It’s cruel to be a vassal state! Since 1945, they’ve been colonized by AngloZionists and have since lost all their freedoms. In 2021, their Suzerain sold them 100s of millions of doses of bio-weapons masqueraded as “vaccines” and their population growth is showing a HUGE hit from the poisons administered to 100% of the country. Within the next 10 years, they’ll have to rely on robots to manage their territorial defence – $320billion won’t be enough. Their population will be down to ~114 million.
We have the same picture in Russia, but nobody sold vaccines here, we have ours, domestic invented vaccines of quite good quality. This crappy flew took many lives, because we were not so zealous in quarantine measures like China (just ~5000 deaths before this year), though most of people support mild quarantine or absence of this despite human losses. So our population rate is declining too, if not to count several million new citizens in Novorossia. Japanese population has negative birth/death rate for long time, because their population is very old (it’s not bad at all) and they are doing porn instead creating strong families. Add urbanization to the list — birth rate in cities is much lower than in villages or towns with 1-2-storey buildings. China, urbanization level over 60% — population almost stopped to grow. India, urbanization level ~30% — population is close to China, but was ~200 mln lower 20 years ago. Yes, China had 1 child policy, but they won’t return to fast growth rates as it was before this policy.
Japan has high enough excise on their products,they are getting outgunned by the more affordable yet every bit as reliable chinese products of todays,either way no future in fascism under uncle scam!