Seiharinokaze said...

Seiharinokaze at 01:33 PM JST - 17th April

Japan wants to work with the other 5 countries because they know they have no leverage with North Korea.

Perhaps Japan wants so because they realise they don't have to give aid to NK with on account of abduction issue. Best way to go along noncommittally with meaningless 6-party talks,…

Posted in Japan prefers 6-party talks in dealing with N Korea at 01:33 PM JST - 17th April
Seiharinokaze at 05:38 PM JST - 15th April

So North Korea has walked out of the 6-party talks after getting what aid it was promised to get, and now declares to reinforce its nuclear deterrence. One thing is obvious: NK won't dispose nukes. Participation in the 6-party talks is perhaps a condescending gesture to get more aid. Breaking…

Posted in Aso urges N Korea to respect 'consensus of global community' at 05:38 PM JST - 15th April
Seiharinokaze at 02:55 PM JST - 14th April

Do past grievances that pose no current threat to Japan trump the issue of N. Korea exporting nuclear weapons, which would pose a phenomenal risk to Japan and the entire strategic order in Asia and beyond?

Nothing trumped the issue at all. The resolution Japan sought calls for the international…

Posted in U.S.-China deal blocks Japan's action on N Korea's rocket launch at 02:55 PM JST - 14th April
Seiharinokaze at 07:35 PM JST - 12th April

Britain is adept in finding a way out of the displomatic impasse. I didn't know that "contravention" has a stronger meaning than "not in conformity" but less strong than "violation". Perhaps it means that the UNSC member states do not want comply fully with their obligations under the binding Resolution…

Posted in UNSC strikes basic accord on presidential statement on N Korea at 07:35 PM JST - 12th April
Seiharinokaze at 02:52 PM JST - 12th April

smithinjapan

The region is not returning to what it was. It is always as it was. A Japanese writer once said that where there is no electricity, there is no democracy. 2 billion people of the world have no electricity and patriarchy still rules in such places. It's like when…

Posted in Japan considers $1 billion of aid to Pakistan to help fight terrorism at 02:52 PM JST - 12th April
Seiharinokaze at 11:17 PM JST - 11th April

Making Pakistan an ally for fighting terrorism is biggest joke!

Well, Japan made Iran an ally for fighting terrorism too. I don't think Japan wants to so look good on the international front. Perhaps Japan believes in rajajumar's way of approach, that is, plowshares (means of livelihood) rather than guns…

Posted in Japan considers $1 billion of aid to Pakistan to help fight terrorism at 11:17 PM JST - 11th April
Seiharinokaze at 07:42 PM JST - 10th April

soothsayer

I'm not sure how Taliban is different from Afghan tribes of 130 years ago. And I'm not sure either why a democratic culture hasn't taken root in the soil there since the third Afghan War ended in 1919. I hope I'm wrong to judge it has nothing to do…

Posted in Ozawa tells McCain he opposes Obama's policy on Afghanistan at 07:42 PM JST - 10th April
Seiharinokaze at 06:25 PM JST - 10th April

Patrick Smash

The six nations' talks have stalled not over Japan's abduction issue but, as written in the above article, Pyongyang’s refusal of a verification process that would confirm it had dismantled its nuclear programs as earlier promised. And wartime impressment cannot be talked on a par with abduction issue.…

Posted in Japan, U.S. differ on how to punish N Korea at 06:25 PM JST - 10th April
Seiharinokaze at 04:30 PM JST - 10th April

I don't think what Ozawa says is so irrelevant. It's fairly significant. The British Empire toppled a government in Afghanistan in 1800's but they couldn't govern the people. The Soviets repeated the same error. And both times the invaders fell from their glorious position before long afterwards. It's a historical…

Posted in Ozawa tells McCain he opposes Obama's policy on Afghanistan at 04:30 PM JST - 10th April
Seiharinokaze at 08:10 PM JST - 7th April

Why didn't he make these comments while Bush was still in office?

PM Aso at least complained about the Bush administration's decision of last October to delist NK from the list of terrorist sponsors countries. The one who gained most seems to be the one who is not weak-kneed anyway.…

Posted in LDP exec criticizes Rice, Hill for being 'weak-kneed' in dealing with N Korea at 08:10 PM JST - 7th April