Guardian Unlimited -- Japan emerges from its pacifist shell
I hope that Japan can slowly but increasingly assert itself militarily. Japan needs to rediscover its pride, but also reinvent the basis of that pride. It needs to be less racial and less egotistical than pre-WWII, but more assertive and more confident than the last 50 years. Japan has been laying low, trying not to express too much confidence about itself for too long. Japanese should be able to say they're proud to be Japanese without reproach...
At the same time, working out how that can be done practically will bring forth a host of issues. Can immigrants be proud to be Japanese? What does Japanese identity mean? Does it have to be racial? I don't think so, but changes like this will only come slowly, just like the progress in women's rights over the past 10 years or so...
Japan has never been a "pacifist" nation in any regard. How one asserts such an idea hasn't studied his or her history. There are valid and realistic concerns about a "militarily significant" Japan. It scares the shit of every country that was dominated by it's forces during WW2.
Economically, Japan is a rival world contender and stands to grow significantly in the coming future in areas of technology and information systems which the world relys upon quite heavily.
Given Korea's manufacturing strengths and Taiwan and China's low wage to production ratio Japan does suffer in terms of over all profit making.
Strategically Japan doesn't need a great force to quantify it's position on the world stage. It's "alliances" with certain countries gives it a viable path way to attain it's over all goals.
Like North Korea, China, India, and Pakistan, Japan is poised on the belief that ICBM type offensive platforms are the answer. What these afore mentioned systems are not commonly known for is that they are most definitely not "theater" weapons. They are world "inclusifying" components.
Take note. The Cold War was the most significant war fought in modern times... I implore you to research and study why.....
Mediator-
Posted by: Mediator at December 3, 2003 01:08 PM