# A More Assertive Japan: Good or Bad for Regional Stability?"



## tomahawk6 (17 Dec 2013)

Good for the Japanese to respond to the PRC threat by bolstering their defenses.The Chinese have only themselves to blame.

http://www.armytimes.com/article/20131217/NEWS08/312170031/Japan-s-hawks-unveil-sweeping-defense-upgrades


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## CougarKing (17 Dec 2013)

Isn't this title a little misleading? Considering the Japanese Self-Defense Force has been existence since the 1950s, so the Japanese have been re-arming for decades now. The JSDF, as we all know, is one of the better-equipped, better-trained, militaries of East Asia.  

Wouldn't the title "Japanese responses to Chinese aggression" seem better?

Plus more information for this thread:

*Japan invests in new military kit as China row simmers*
Yahoo! News - AFP








> The shopping list is part of efforts by Abe to normalise the military in Japan, which has been officially pacifist since defeat in World War II. Its well-equipped and highly professional services are limited to a narrowly defined self-defensive role.


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## tomahawk6 (17 Dec 2013)

SMA the actions of the PRC has begun the process of a resurgent Japan. Ever since WW2 Japan decided to let the US protect them and they did not invest in a strong military.Now the threat from China is so great that others in Asia are not concerned by Japanese rearmament/modernization.


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## CougarKing (18 Dec 2013)

Related: Japan plans to replace all its F15Js with F35s:

from South Korea's Arirang news



> Japan to replace 100 F-15s with stealth F-35s
> 
> Japan says it will build up its fighter jet fleet, amid a growing territorial row with its neighboring countries.
> * NHK reported Wednesday that Tokyo's Defense Ministry plans to replace roughly 100 planes in its F-15 fighter jet fleet with F-35s, which have stealth capabilities.
> ...




*Furthermore, please note other threads about the JMSDF's _Hyuga_ and _Izumo_ class "helicopter destroyers" or carriers.


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## a_majoor (21 Dec 2013)

Japan might be able to get a deal on the F-35 by taking the orders that nations like the Netherlands have dropped (exploiting economies of scale)

We might be able to take advantage of this by going in with the Japanese on their very handy helicopter "destroyers"; these ships are already capable of transporting 500 troops (and landing them ashore via helicopter), which would solve the decade old "Big Honking Ship" issue quite neatly, not to mention getting some economy of scale for us as well.


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## CougarKing (1 Apr 2014)

Just some information on Japan's _Soryu_ class "stealth" submarines:

*a youtube video of the latest sub in the class being launched a few months ago:

_Kokuryu_ (Black dragon) Submarine

*And an article.

*Japan’s new ‘ninja’ submarines are all about stealth*

(japandailypress.com)



> Quote:
> Japan’s Soryu class submarines were launched by the Marine Self-Defense Forces (MSDF) in 2007, *as an effort to increase the countries submarine force to a total of 22 (from the current 16) by the year 2024*. The submarine Hakuryu, or White Dragon, is the third of the class that is known for packing enough firepower to bring down an aircraft carrier. But according to the MSDF, the firepower is not the submarine’s best weapon – it is stealth.



And another update about a move that will strengthen Japan's weaker Southeast Asian neighbours, such as the Philippines, by allowing exports of Japanese made military equipment to help them counter a rising China. Taiwan could also use an export version of Japan's Soryu class submarine, even if Tokyo recognizes Beijing with its "One-China" policy.

From Defense News:

*Japan Lifts Own Blanket Arms Export Ban*
Apr. 1, 2014 - 08:59AM   |   By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE   



> TOKYO — Japan on Tuesday lifted a self-imposed ban on weapons exports, introducing new rules covering the arms trade in a move supporters say will boost Tokyo's global role, but which unnerved China.
> 
> The cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approved a new plan that replaces the 1967 blanket ban, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters.
> 
> ...


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## CougarKing (16 Apr 2014)

Anyone else envision a scenario where Tokyo commits JGSDF troops to the Korean peninsula to support the ROK and the US?

Military.com



> *Japan Prepares End to Ban on Defending Allies*
> 
> YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan -- *Japan is poised to introduce a plan that would allow its forces to defend allies for the first time in the post-World War II era, even as polls indicate public opposition to a reinterpretation of the nation's pacifist constitution.*
> 
> ...


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## CougarKing (16 May 2014)

If Abe gets what he wants, will this mean JSDF troops fighting on the Korean peninsula in the event of a North Korean invasion?

Military.com



> *Japan's Abe Bids to End Ban on Fighting Abroad*
> 
> May 16, 2014 | by Justin McCurry
> Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has announced plans to lift the country's ban on fighting in conflicts overseas, a move certain to raise tensions with China and anger voters at home. He called for a review of how Japan interprets its pacifist constitution to allow its military to participate in conflicts beyond its borders.
> ...


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## CougarKing (24 Jun 2014)

> *Philippine leader backs larger Japan military role*
> 
> TOKYO (AP) — The leader of the Philippines on Tuesday endorsed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ongoing push to expand Japan's military role.
> 
> ...


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## CougarKing (30 Jun 2014)

Wouldn't "A more assertive Japan" be a better title for this thread? Japan already re-armed decades ago when the SDF was formed; the only issue now is whether Japan will continue to have its constitutional limits on using that military more assertively.

Reuters



> *Japan poised to ease constitution's limits on military in landmark shift*
> 
> By Linda Sieg and Kiyoshi Takenaka
> 
> ...


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## CougarKing (1 Jul 2014)

Military.com



> *Japan's Government Approves Larger Military Role*
> 
> Associated Press | Jul 01, 2014 | by Mari Yamaguchi
> TOKYO — Japan took a step away Tuesday from an American-drafted constitution that has long kept its military shackled, approving a plan to allow greater use of a force that was vanquished at the end of World War II.
> ...


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## CougarKing (2 Jul 2014)

China's response to the landmark change in Japanese defence policy:

Defense News



> *China Criticizes Japan's Move To Expand Military Role*
> Jul. 2, 2014 - 03:08PM   |   By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
> 
> BEIJING — China’s government and media launched a broadside Wednesday against Japan’s move to loosen the bonds on its powerful military, casting it as a threat to Asian security.
> ...


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## CougarKing (4 Jul 2014)

Japan's defence policy change continues to make waves among observers of the region:



> *Pacifist no more? Experts discuss Japan's military*
> By MARI YAMAGUCHI and MIKI TODA
> Associated Press - Thu, Jul 3, 2014
> 
> ...


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## CougarKing (9 Aug 2014)

> *China's Growing Military Might Has Japan on Edge: Tokyo Responds*
> Benjamin Schreer
> August 8, 2014
> 
> ...


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## Nemo888 (9 Aug 2014)

The last arms race was a disaster in terms of wasted human potential.  The trillions wasted on all those useless nukes. We could have built moon bases or cured cancer with that money. Humans are pretty stupid though and "defense" can be a very lucrative investment. Eventually the defense industry becomes a political force. That is happening now in China so the rest of Asia has no choice but to gear up.


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## a_majoor (15 Aug 2014)

Of course Japan needs to pay for all the shiny new toys and the manpower to use them:

http://www.nationalreview.com/node/385373/print



> *Economic Lessons Unlearnt*
> Everybody loved Abenomics until five minutes ago.
> By Kevin D. Williamson
> 
> ...


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## CougarKing (15 Oct 2014)

Japan's highest GSDF general wants the US to confront China:

Military.com



> *Japanese General Calls on US Military to Confront China*
> 
> Oct 15, 2014 | by Richard Sisk
> In stark contrast to White House policy, a top Japanese general on Tuesday said the U.S. military rebalance of forces to the Pacific should confront Chinese aggression in the region.
> ...


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## CougarKing (18 Jan 2015)

Apparently Japan's biggest defence budget to date isn't enough to meet their goals:

Defense News



> *Experts: Japan Budget Boost Still Won't Meet Goals*
> 
> TOKYO — While Japan's newly unveiled defense budget represents the third small hike in a row after decades of low spending, experts say such spending remains insufficient to fund Tokyo's plans for "dynamic defense forces."
> 
> ...


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## CougarKing (1 Feb 2015)

The JMSDF asked to protect South Korean AEGIS destroyers in the event of a conflict where both South Korea and Japan are allies?

*Newsletter Navale* (original site article in French)



> *South Korean Aegis destroyers could be object of defense by Japanese navy*
> Tokyo is planning to revise a law to include any vessels contributing to Japanese defense.
> 
> _"The Japanese government notified the ruling party of its plan to include a clause that would allow the Japan Self-Defense Forces to defend the warships of countries other than the US in a revision to legislation pertaining to national security, including the Self-Defense Forces Act, which it plans to submit to the Diet during the current session. There is a growing sense inside the Japanese government that the militaries of other countries, including Australia, are likely to participate in a missile defense system. As a result, it began reviewing the idea of revising the law to enable the Japan Self-Defense Forces to defend the military units of other countries - not just the US - to ensure Japan's security."_ *- Mainichi Shimbun newspaper - Jan. 27, 2015*
> ...


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## tomahawk6 (1 Feb 2015)

A larger Japanese Navy and Air Force would be essential for their defense.More submarines,Aegis type destroyers,more ASW destroyers,minesweepers and more aircraft.


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## Colin Parkinson (16 Feb 2015)

I suspect a larger Japanese air Force and navy will be politically more acceptable to it's allied neighbours. The Japanese army would likely not be welcomed that much.


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## CougarKing (30 Mar 2015)

Wouldn't the "helicopter destroyers"/ new carriers _Hyuga, Ise_ and_ Izumo_'s ASW helo complements already be enough of a threat to Chinese SSNs?

Defense News



> *Japan Weighs Options To Boost ASW Skills*
> 
> TOKYO — Japan's growing need to improve its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities to counter quieter Chinese submarines in littoral waters could set off a three-way race between an upgraded indigenous platform against longer-term solutions, analysts said.
> 
> ...


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## CougarKing (21 Apr 2015)

Wasn't there already precedent for this with JMSDF oilers doing RAS with NATO/US allied warships in the Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf, etc.?

Reuters



> *New law to allow Japan to supply U.S. military in South China Sea, say officials*
> Tue Apr 21, 2015 5:24pm EDT
> 
> By Nobuhiro Kubo and Tim Kelly
> ...


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## CougarKing (13 May 2015)

Some kinks in the guidelines that need worked out...

Diplomat



> *The Dangerous Japan-U.S. Defense Guidelines Revisions*
> 
> A Japanese opposition leader on what is wrong with the changes to The Guidelines for Japan-U.S. Defense Cooperation
> 
> ...


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## CougarKing (31 Jul 2015)

More on Japan's recent controversial defence bill from earlier this month:

Defense News



> *Defense Bill Sparks Uproar in Japan's Diet*
> 
> TOKYO — There were chaotic scenes inside Japan's normally orderly parliament Wednesday as opposition lawmakers thronged a committee room in an unsuccessful bid to block Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's controversial security bills.
> 
> ...



Plus more about Japan's greater involvement in the South China Sea to support both the US and the Philippines:

Diplomat



> *Is Japan Becoming a Threat to Peace?*
> Japan’s entry into the military dimensions of the South China Sea may come to be seen as threat to general peace.
> 
> GA
> ...


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## Edward Campbell (31 Jul 2015)

_I think_ Japan must move to support the Philippines and Viet Nam since the USA either cannot or will not. If Japan does not step in China will take it all while Obama hikes up his skirts and tries to tip-toe through the deep water.


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## daftandbarmy (31 Jul 2015)

If Japan and the US had a Facebook relationship status notification, it would be 'It's complicated':

http://strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/parameters/Articles/04summer/rapp.pdf


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## CougarKing (10 Aug 2015)

Japan's _Atago_ class Aegis destroyers being upgraded:

Diplomat



> *U.S. Approves $1.5 Billion Ballistic Missile Defense Deal With Japan
> The weapon deal aims to enhance Tokyo’s capabilities to defend against a ballistic missile attack.*
> 
> On August 7, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced that the U.S. State Department has approved a possible $1.5 billion sale of two Lockheed Martin Corp Aegis combat systems as well as new anti-submarine warfare equipment to Japan. According to the DSCA press release:
> ...


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## CougarKing (17 Aug 2015)

More on Japan's next flight of AEGIS ships: (source link embedded in orange text)



> *DSCA notification sheds light on next-gen Japanese destroyers*
> 
> James Hardy, London -
> IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
> ...


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## a_majoor (16 Sep 2015)

Japan works to counter the Chinese, and comes uip with some new allies:

http://www.the-american-interest.com/2015/09/16/japan-and-vietnam-building-a-strategic-partnership/



> *Japan and Vietnam Building a Strategic Partnership*
> 
> During his historic visit to Tokyo, Vietnamese Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong joined Japanese premier Shinzo Abe to announce sizable Japanese investments in Vietnam’s military and civilian infrastructures. The Diplomat has the story:
> 
> ...


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## a_majoor (9 Oct 2015)

Japan offers advanced new submarines to Australia. What other nation has a long coastline, deploys to far off places and needs submarines for the fleet.....?

http://nextbigfuture.com/2015/10/japan-offering-australia-bigger-and.html



> *Japan offering Australia bigger and better version of Soryu class submarine and 100% technology transfer in US$38.8 billion deal*
> 
> A Japanese consortium has placed a $35 billion bid to construct submarines for the Royal Australian Navy. While France’s DCNS Group and Germany’s Thyssen Krupp Marine Systems (TKMS) have offered proposals, several analysts believe Japan is the only bidder with submarines large enough to meet Australia’s demands.
> 
> ...


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## CougarKing (9 Oct 2015)

Mr. T,

Discussions and updates on the _Soryu_ class SSK are already being posted at this thread in the Australian Defence Forces section of army.ca.


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## CougarKing (27 Oct 2015)

Good news for the JASDF:

Diplomat



> *Japan to Receive New US Military Aircraft by 2020
> 
> Tokyo has selected the Boeing KC-46 tanker aircraft for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.*
> L1001025
> ...


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## CougarKing (30 Nov 2015)

Tokyo sending another message to Beijing?

Diplomat



> *Japan Set to Boost East China Sea Troop Presence
> 
> Japan will likely deploy 500 troops to Ishigaki island, 90 nautical miles from the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands.*
> 
> ...


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## CougarKing (28 Dec 2015)

More than just rhetoric this time:

Diplomat



> *Japan Approves Record Defense Budget
> 
> Japanese defense spending will increase 1.5 percent during the next fiscal year.*
> L1001025
> ...


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## MarkOttawa (28 Dec 2015)

More at US Naval Institute News (further links at original):



> Cabinet Approves Record $42.1 Billion 2016 Japanese Defense Budget
> 
> The cabinet of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has approved a record $42.1 billion 2016 defense budget largely seen as a response to China’s rapidly expanding military, particularly the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).
> 
> ...



Mark
Ottawa


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## tomahawk6 (1 Jan 2016)

Japan's A2/D2 strategy to curb China's naval ambitions.It makes alot of sense and they can use existing islands and provide them with SAM's and land based anti-ship missiles to deny the approaches to the Japanese mainland.A good read.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-military-china-exclusive-idUSKBN0U107220151218

Japan is fortifying its far-flung island chain in the East China Sea under an evolving strategy that aims to turn the tables on China's navy and keep it from ever dominating the Western Pacific Ocean, Japanese military and government sources said.

The United States, believing its Asian allies - and Japan in particular - must help contain growing Chinese military power, has pushed Japan to abandon its decades-old bare-bones home island defense in favor of exerting its military power in Asia.


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## CougarKing (14 Jan 2016)

It's no longer China's CMS white hulls ramming Japanese Coast Guard white hulls anymore, it's PLA-N vs JMSDF grey hulls:

Diplomat



> *Japan's MSDF Will Help Guard Disputed Islands From Chinese Warships
> 
> Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force will now respond when Chinese vessels enter the Senkakus’ territorial waters.*
> Pollman_2_Brown
> ...


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## a_majoor (29 Jan 2016)

Long term plans to renew the Japanese Air Force with 6 Gen fighters. Lets hope (for all our sakes) that the project managment isn't as inept as for Gen 5:

http://nextbigfuture.com/2016/01/japan-will-likely-try-to-partner-with.html



> *Japan will likely try to partner with the USA on a sixth generation jet fighter project*
> 
> Japan has spent $331 million on the X-2 Stealth fighter prototype but it would cost roughly $60 billion to develop and field a modern stealth combat aircraft.
> 
> ...



If anything Canadian companies should be getting in on the advanced engine program. Canada is such a huge nation that even domestic flights rival international flights between other nations. Adapting this technology anf getting superior fuel economy for commercial and transport aircraft will have a huge impact on the economy as a whole, as well as for the Forces (advanced turbines can be used to re engine existing ships, aircraft, helicopters and used as generators in static locations).


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## CougarKing (1 Feb 2016)

more on JASDF posturing in relation to China's unilateral declaration of its ADIZ over much of the East China Sea:

Defense News



> *Japan Doubles Number of F-15s on Okinawa*
> Agence France-Presse 1:44 p.m. EST January 31, 2016
> 
> TOKYO — Japan has doubled the number of F-15 fighter jets deployed on the southern island of Okinawa, near disputed islands in the East China Sea, the Defense Ministry said Sunday.
> ...


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## CougarKing (14 Feb 2016)

Japan's fighter procurement challenges:

Defense News



> *Japan Faces Challenging Choices for Cash-Strapped Air Force*
> By Paul Kallender-Umezu, Defense News 11 a.m. EST February 14, 2016
> 
> 
> ...


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## tomahawk6 (14 Feb 2016)

Where is the threat to Japan ? Certainly not China or Russia.There is a very real threat from North Korea and as such I would expect Japan to acquire THAAD.Of course what would work against the North will work against other possible enemies.Japan and the ROK both operate Aegis destroyers.In addition the USN has 5 based in Japan with perhaps 2 more being based there.


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## George Wallace (14 Feb 2016)

tomahawk6 said:
			
		

> Where is the threat to Japan ? Certainly not China or Russia.There is a very real threat from North Korea and as such I would expect Japan to acquire THAAD.Of course what would work against the North will work against other possible enemies.Japan and the ROK both operate Aegis destroyers.In addition the USN has 5 based in Japan with perhaps 2 more being based there.



With China's laying claim to numerous islands and shoals in the South China Sea, there may be some confrontations there and perhaps escalation of the differences between China, Taiwan, and other nations in that region.  I would not limit the 'enemies' that may be barking at Japan's doors to just North Korea.


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## CougarKing (7 Mar 2016)

7th Soryu class sub delivered to the JMSDF: Japan attempting to match China's continued naval buildup.

Defence Aerospace



> *MHI Delivers "Jinryu" Japan's 7th Soryu-Class Submarine, at the MHI Kobe Shipyard & Machinery Works*
> (Source: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.; issued March 7, 2016)
> TOKYO --- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) delivered the "Jinryu" submarine to the Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD) today in a ceremony held at the MHI Kobe Shipyard & Machinery Works' No.3 pier in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture. The Jinryu is the seventh Soryu-class submarine supplied to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and the fourth built by MHI. MHI also built the first Soryu-class submarine, and has produced a total of 26 submarines at the MHI Kobe Shipyard over the last 70 years.
> 
> ...


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## CougarKing (8 Mar 2016)

And speaking of subs: China is irked by the presence of a Japanese sub in the Philippines.

Japan Times



> MSDF submarine to make port call in the Philippines
> Mar 6, 2016
> The Maritime Self-Defense Force plans to have a submarine make a port call in the Philippines’ Subic Bay next month, a Defense Ministry source said Sunday.
> 
> ...



ABS-CBN



> *China on 'high alert' over Japanese sub in PH*
> 
> BEIJING - The Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday the country was on "high alert" for Japan's military moves in disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
> 
> ...


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## CougarKing (17 Mar 2016)

I wonder if Col. Yamamoto Masashi is related to Adm. Yamamoto Isoroku of WW2 fame?

Defense News



> *Japan Extends East China Sea Surveillance*
> Christopher P. Cavas, Defense News 6:39 p.m. EDT March 17, 2016
> WASHINGTON Japan is expanding its East China Sea surveillance network around the disputed Senkaku Islands, and a new radar observation station is expected to go online on March 28.
> 
> ...


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## Eaglelord17 (17 Mar 2016)

S.M.A. said:
			
		

> I wonder if Col. Yamamoto Masashi is related to Adm. Yamamoto Isoroku of WW2 fame?



Apparently Yamamoto is a very common Japanese surname. Depending on who you look at it is at least in the top 10, sometimes below the top 5. Could be related, but it is much more likely he isn't.


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## CougarKing (6 Jul 2016)

China and Japan again nearly came to blows over the East China Sea:

IHS Jane's 360 



> *China says Japanese F-15s locked onto its fighters over East China Sea*  - 5 July 2016
> 
> The spokesperson stated that two Chinese Su-30s conducting a "routine patrol over the East China Sea Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ)" - which was unilaterally declared by China in late 2013 - were approached by two JASDF F-15s at high speed that "used fire-control radar to lock onto the Chinese fighters", meaning they were ready to fire their weapons.
> 
> The Chinese Su-30s reacted by adopting "decisive measures such as tactical manoeuvres" to deal with the Japanese fighters' "provocations", the spokesperson said. The two F-15s then flew away after firing infrared flares, he added.








China has accused two Japanese F-15s (similar to these) of provoking Chinese aircraft flying within its unilaterally declared Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) on 17 June. Source: JASDF


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## CougarKing (12 Jul 2016)

In the aftermath of the recent Hague ruling on the South China Sea mentioned on the China Super thread.

Reuters



> *Japan will closely watch Chinese activity in East China Sea: defense minister*
> By: Tim Kelly, Reuters
> July 12, 2016 9:17 PM
> 
> ...


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## CougarKing (21 Jul 2016)

More to give North Korea and China pause:

Defense News



> *Japan Secures SM-2 Missiles for Destroyers*
> 
> 
> TAIPEI, Taiwan — The US State Department has approved an $821 million sale of *246 Standard Missile-2 (SM-2)* air defense missiles for deployment on Japan’s *four Kongo-class* and *two Atago-class destroyers*.
> ...


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## Oldgateboatdriver (21 Jul 2016)

S.M.A. said:
			
		

> More to give North Korea and China pause:
> 
> Defense News



Not really.

They are just replacing/updating the older Block IIIA those destroyers already carry with the IIIB's. The main advantage of the Bs over the As is better detection/engagement capability against low altitude/sea skimming missiles. Nothing here that would cause any special concern for the Chinese or NKs.


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## CougarKing (17 Aug 2016)

A new SSM for Japan?

Guardian



> *Japan To Develop Missiles As Tension with China Mounts*
> 
> Japan will develop a new land-to-sea missile as part of plans to beef up its defence of remote southern islands, as tensions with China increase over the disputed territory, a report said Sunday.
> 
> ...


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