Voices
in
Japan

have your say

Do you consider either North Korea or China a real military threat to Japan?

22 Comments

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

22 Comments
Login to comment

Not unless they are ready to take on the USA too.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Not at all. Don't listen to Abe's fear mongering.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

There is no problem with China or North Korea that cannot be handled by diplomacy.

Since actually listening to anyone is not one of Abe's skills and communication for him is strictly one way, I am worried.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Not at all. America is standing strong here.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

North Korea is a present military threat. Japan is not prepared for their attach at all.

shonanbbJAN. 20, 2016 - 10:49AM JST

Not at all. America is standing strong here.

Do you think the US would declare war against nuclear armed North Korea when it attacks Japan? North Korea has little to lose by starting a war, because it has little to begin with.

China is spending a lot more for its military than Japan, and the amount is increasing every year. Why is it spending so much, if it does not have some ambition?

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

North Korea.. no. But the nukes are of some concern

China... the numbers are overwhelming, and the hidden (not so hidden) intentions are not reassuring

2 ( +3 / -1 )

short term no, however that can change & if the Yanks start pulling out China will up the pressure big time if its domestic problems are still THUMBED down by the commies who run the country

0 ( +1 / -1 )

GWJAN. 20, 2016 - 02:10PM JST short term no, however that can change & if the Yanks start pulling out China will up the pressure big time if its domestic problems are still THUMBED down by the commies who run the country

What will China gain if they attack Japan? Nothing. It will set them back 50 years. China will have problem with all foreign investors.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

North Korea is not a threat. They just make noise.

China is real threat.

China will certainly exercise proxy war tactics by provoking all nations which are US ally. Basically its clash of 2 idealism called democracy and communism. Countries like Japan, Phillipines, Taiwan and others are just the pawns in this big game played by China and US.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

garfield1275 JAN. 20, 2016 - 02:51PM JST Basically its clash of 2 idealism called democracy and communism.

It might've been 50 years ago.Today, is U.S. really a "true" democracy and China a "true" communism? Realistically, they have much closer common interest. Look at the foreign companies operating inside China. Do these fortune 500 profit making companies feel that they are operating inside restricted "communism"? Or do they have much more freedom to run the run the business? Sure, there are differences, but it's not as wide as you think.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

What will China gain if they attack Japan? Nothing. It will set them back 50 years. China will have problem with all foreign investors.

Wishful thinking, look at what China already does with the Senkaku's, also look at the island building in the Spratly's there lies your answer as to what China would do.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@GW

Where is the "attack" to Japan or "Philippines"? If you look at the agreement in 1978, Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands is a disputed island. Where does it say Japan have "sovereignty" to Senkaku?

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

sfjp330: What about artificial island created by China in South China Sea with a defence air strip? What about Chinese submarines sneaking often into Japan sea, Indian ocean on to other nations territorial waters? China sanctioning the construction of worlds biggest dam which might create serious water crisis for other nations?

Not sure whether these events fit into the fortune 500 profit making companies operations in both nations. I see this just a fight between dollar and yuan in global markets.

By the term proxy war I meant that both China and US will never be involved direct confrontation. But there are enough nations who would be provoked against one another indirectly to achieve the same results.

In short, Democracy and Communism are poles apart and can never co-exist in the long run. Only the means of approach might have changed in the last 50 years.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@garfield1275

China looks unlikely to be any more successful in dethroning U.S. from global leadership than Japan and Russia were. This is partly due to limits on China’s ability to continue advancing. China’s disputes with neighbors over the disposition of minor islands and reefs in East and South China Seas shows how little real potential for growth in territories the way other western powers have. Unfortunately, they are so dependent on offshore resources, markets and investors to keep its economy growing that it can’t run the risk of really scaring its trading partners.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

I'm amazed anyone thinks either country is a military threat. They've been telegraphing their global strategy for decades now, and military conquest simply isn't on the cards. Pyongyang's strategy is to act crazy enough to fool casual observers into thinking they're lunatics with nothing to lose, so the best choice is to give them aid every time they act up. They aren't really going to launch a full-on conflict with anyone because the cost is too high, and they know we aren't going to launch a full-on conflict with them because they know we value the innocent lives in Seoul that would likely be lost if a conflict did occur. Since no one wants to pony up the money to deal with a DPRK societal collapse, that means it's in everyone's interest to play along every time the Kim family plays its "please notice me!" game. They're not a military threat, but they could be a terrorist threat.

Beijing's strategy, OTOH, is to escape from containment. That might mean disputing island territory with its neighbors, but the ultimate goal isn't to take over the world like in some hysterical 50s Red Scare film, it's to have deep water ports that are in Chinese-controlled territory. Beijing wants to be the dominant regional power, but that won't truly be the case so long as western-allied countries can encircle China and check its growing navy. I wouldn't worry about China as a military power, but I would worry about China as an economic power, as the country has shown in the past a willingness to flex its economic muscles in a way that forces companies in other countries to act counter to the virtues claimed to be supported in western democracies. And basically, if Beijing gets out of encirclement, it will almost certainly have been purchased through its economic clout. Why was Beijing allowed to build its airbase island? Because no nation can afford to boycott (or be boycotted by) the Chinese market.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Of course, let me tell you one saying in China: we could send out ten thousands of ship,from warships to fishing boats, to invade Japan at the same time. Pretty true right.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

China yes, NK? A missile threat yes, but not as an invasion threat... China I most certainly do see as a threat though.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Of course, let me tell you one saying in China: we could send out ten thousands of ship,from warships to fishing boats, to invade Japan at the same time. Pretty true right.

Do you think Japan would sit still?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

As for China, I think that it might be a threat to Japan in term of military power. However, China isn't thrat to Japan in terms of being China and Japan are partner. As for North Korea, I cannot refer to whether or not threatening to Japan because I don't not the exact information of its military power. Anyway, China, North Korea and we should get along with a neighboring in a friendly way regardless of military power.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Three points:

people often think that nothing will happen until it does, even bellicose demagogues

it would probably all happen after miscalculation or mis-communication

it doesn't matter how benign I, you, Japanese people or Japanese government think that Japan is, much of the present impasses between Japan and North Korea on one hand and Japan and China on the other, is that Japan had been military threat, opponent, occupier and colonial oppressor at one time. It does not matter what anyone in Japan says or does, it will take more generations still for Koreans and Chinese to get over that. Therefore their respective stances; therefore North Korea and China are real military threats. Why? Please read Points 1 and 2.
-1 ( +0 / -1 )

They don't necessarily need to invade Japan. They'd be a threat just by bullying Japan.

Because Japan is like that kid in J-high school that everyone likes to bully but doesn't fight back.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

No. China not at this as Japan's major trading partner. NK is a mouse.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites