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Japan to upgrade Patriot batteries for 2020 Olympics

22 Comments
By Tim Kelly and Nobuhiro Kubo

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"China is swiftly modernising its armed forces, in part to counter what it sees as a strategy of containment in the United States’ Asian “pivot”." In other words, China is interested in expanding. Who would have thought!

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

North Korea has WMDs and has threatened to use them, but the US hasn't brought that regime to its knees. Why not? North Korea is a cash cow for Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. North Korea and the US are skaking hands and laughing behind Japan's back. Such a scam.

0 ( +11 / -11 )

So, in effect, the Japanese Government is using the Olympics as a leverage to use funds to upgrade a missile system to protect the games against a missile attack by N. Korea or China, both of whom ar invited to the games along with every other country with missile capability. ??

12 ( +13 / -1 )

They could guarantee more safety simply by closing knife shops. China isn't the biggest threat, nutters are

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Japan to upgrade Patriot batteries for 2020 Olympics

Now if they would only break ground on the stadium in time for the 2020 Olympics, that would really be something.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

North Korea is a cash cow for Lockheed Martin and Raytheon

Just a fraction of the gazilliondollar war industry sustained by the creation and perpetuation of assorted bogeymen over the years.

Must we really be held hostage to these codependent ghouls?

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Both Patriot and THAAD are less than reliable. The Israelis modified the Patriot themselves to enable it to work whilst many defence analysts in the USA write that the THAAD tests were biased in favour of success, and did not represent actual conditions. As others have written, more dollars in the trough for the Military-Industrial complex, and if you disagree, they threaten you with job losses.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

North Korea has WMDs and has threatened to use them, but the US hasn't brought that regime to its knees.

Under what scenario do you see the U.S bringing the regime in North Korea to its knees? It's totally unrealistic to think the U.S is even capable of that given their proximity to South Korea and there heavily armed, friendly neighbor.

The only thing that will bring that regime to its knees is a coup organized internally by the North Korean army. That is the only way.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

How realistic or probable is the scenario where NK will launch a missile targeting Japan during the Olympics ?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Japanese national security experts have great foresight. Damn, what a smart strategy by North Korea and China. To attack Japan with missiles when, AND ONLY WHEN, they send their own athletes there. Japan might as well ban North Koreans and Chinese athletes from going to Tokyo for security concerns. I'm sure it would be devastating if any of those athletes beat a Japanese one and won a medal there.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

What complete nonsensical posturing.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Actually Tokyo should be more worried about the cheap Chinese quadcopter drones terrorists and extremists could use than missiles from state actors. Kim is not that stupid to target Tokyo. If he is to attack Japan, he will target US bases in Okinawa, so the Patriot upgrade really have China in mind, not N Korea.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Japan is upgrading its Patriot PAC-3 missile defense system in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games,

So.....the Olympic Games, designed to bring warring factions together in a truce for their duration, has inspired Japan to spend much needed revenue in up-grading its defence system designed to combat aggressive acts by North Korea and China both of whom will be at the OG anyway! Its going to be a race against time what will get finished first...the defence system, the OG's or the Abe Gov for coming up with such nonsense and weak reasoning for spending money on pointless posturing. When is the world going to fast forward politicians filling a void for those with more intelligence?

When the UK held the 2012 OG's a prominent church leader declared the various church denominations should come together in the spirit of the ancient games...and the church of England should open its doors to invite their usage for the OG in whatever way the fancy took them. They were to have a big 'love in' function at St Pauls but that was beset with the spokesman concerned who should sit where (....anywhere they pleased if all were as one and equal!)....but Seb Coe announced shortly before the Games no-one could hold an event, unless with official approval, that had the name 'Olympics' in it as that would contravene copyright matters that sponsors had been pledged would be exclusive.

In Rio they are banning (as they please by games type) Russians even if they are completely innocent when so many countries were implicated large and small in doping competitors.

The madness of the OG's continues when the advent of so many other events eg World Athletics Championships etc and the internet and TV bringing so much sport available every day, has minimized the importance of the OG's. Some sports exponents are wisely pulling out as they are as good as saying they have better things to do or do nto wish to risk their health.

If the OG's are now seen as such a threat to the state as to feel obliged to increase spending on defense then the whole point has been lost and it is time to pack them up. The UK had no legacy from the games in terms of its citizens increased sports activities nor did it inspire the UK to attract tourists.

However....the much 'feared', and that which attracted dire warnings of future 'oblivion' and predictions by such as some stating with apparent 'inside' knowledge that all would pull out if the UK voted for Brexit, have been proved quite silly....and the earliest, biggest offer to buy a UK company is a Japanese one, and now we see a sudden increase in tourism due to the advantaged value of the pound agaimst other currencies. THAT'S what brings people together more than anything....because they want to in an atmosphere of peacful and mutual admiration.

Someone tell those wanting to spend money on symbols of death and destruction to just give it up and grow up....it is pointless and damaging posturing.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

How about the Olympic Truce ? Is all culture gone nowadays ?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Is this a serious article?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

China and Russia is coming to the Global stage as major players.... and nothing can stop them... Certainly not the Japanese...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Well, it is called Self-Defense Force, after all. Japan go ahead self-defending

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Abe's dream coming true - as predicted by many.

Spread fear and you can fool most.

Back to the future.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

China and Russia is coming to the Global stage as major players.... and nothing can stop them... Certainly not the Japanese...

China certainly, Russia, a lot less so. Even in 2050, they might be no.8 or potentially just creep into the top 10. They still rely too much on fossil fuels for earnings. Even Japan may still edge them out economically speaking.

India and Indonesia will be 2nd and fourth respectively, with China number 1 and the U.S number 3.

India is drawing closer to the U.S as China undermines them at every turn and Indonesia, well its hard to tell what direction they might take. How China handles the South China sea may determine a great deal about Indonesias attitude in the region in future.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Non-article. Patriot batteries might help. Better security training at the agent and individual level would be far, far better.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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