politics

Ishihara-Hashimoto party seeks bigger defense spending

33 Comments
By Kiyoshi Takenaka

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33 Comments
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Increase defense spending, yet shrink the role of central government? I don't get it.

Is this just doublespeak for shifting money from education and health care to the military?

Btw, that photo is so cute <3 luvluv

4 ( +4 / -0 )

This duo is like Bush-Blair alliance, Ishihara will retire soon whereas Hashimoto will have to struggle hard in politics.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I have nightmares about the LDP in coalition with this cabaret act. Abe, Hashimoto and Ishihara - inept, extreme and insane. Laugh or cry?

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Red herring: something intended to divert attention from the real problem or matter at hand; a misleading clue. It seems to me that countries that have real economic problems and trouble taking care of their people, always want to throw money at their military. Raise national pride but never really solve any problems. Just create more...

3 ( +4 / -1 )

The only good thing about this alliance is that these kooks don't stand even a tiny chance of getting in.

Increase defence spending with the economy like it is?

But, like Jimizo, I have nightmares about Abe and the LDP.

Aaaaaargh!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Right wing nationalists nutters want to increase spending on military... no real surprise there.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Unbelievable...raise taxes to pay for something that is not only totally unnecessary, but that is only going to exacerbate Japan's problems with its neighbors. 15% are going to vote for a party (out of desperation?) full of populist crap that does not address the necessary issues. Mind you, what Japanese political party does try to address those issues???..as that English guy who blew the lid on the goings on at Olympus said recently: Japan is sleepwalking to oblivion.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Why is it that the concept of nationalism in Japan always seems to involve the U.S.A? The U.S.A. wants to increase its military presence in Japan, building a new base in Okinawa and so on, and the right wing is completely ready to throw away the constitution, roll over and beg to its conceived American master.

There is no reason to increase military spending. In fact, cuts HAVE to be made. Japan just cannot afford to dole out 8.6 billion dollars a year to support US bases in Japan. There are no enemies. No one is threatening aggression.

Cut military spending and put more money into rebuilding Tohoko.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

defense spending = easily controllable revenue source. Yup we're spending it on the next fill in the blank rocket...rather we're filling our pockets with taxpayer yen.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Grubby party headed by two populist, reactionary deadbeats who I for one wouldn't assist if I saw them on fire. I expect them to do very well with the public here - and probably take hold of some key ministries in the Abe coalition govt. They will help turn Japan's image overseas to mud.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Frightening, frightening, frightening. When will the sheeple wake up and put these guy down?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Oh yes! Brilliant leadership! The icons like Panasonic, Sharp, and Sony are throwing up their arms in distress (Hey, these waves are getting pretty rough folks!!) and the geniuses of the new right say "Let's spend more on weapons" (even though the US is still here to protect us in any worst case scenario). That Hashimoto boy just loves the spotlight, doesn't he? Does he have any sensible contributions to make?? The less said about Ishihara the better, of course...I'll only fall foul of the moderator.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Both of them are only trying compensate to hide their "minuscule" personal issues releasing their frustration onto the public. Military spending is no different... bigger rockets to compensate for their lack of man power.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Time for us to get back to our roots. We need more aircraft. Carriers. ICBMs. Nuclear submarines and 2000 nuclear warheads ready.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Call me a traditionalist, but truly the SDF needs a little more love. If Japanese schools use 1970s computers, you'll all be screaming for money to change them regardless of what that will do to the budgetary balance. But Japanese seem OK with the SDF using that vintage equipment. Maybe that was tolerable when everyone else is doing the same, but now that's increasingly not true.

Before there was public education, much less handouts for people who couldn't compete for work (read: welfare), there was Defense. Defense is the first, the most fundamental, and most irreplaceable social service provided by a nation. You can go to private schools and hospitals - they'll be expensive but still within middle-class reach. Private armies are a different matter.

I disagree with those people that think there are no enemies. The Senkaku issue basically came up out of nowhere around 1970. China is a "defensive" country that constantly expands the area of what it wants to defend as its own. It is just clever enough to do it over a period of decades so commoners on both sides don't really remember the period when they did NOT contest something. Around 2070, their claim on Okinawa, currently in its embryonic stage, will be at least as loud as their Senkaku claim today.

Fortunately for China, its competitors are all democracies that can't work on the half-century class timeframe - short term interests force democracies to abandon much strategic planning.

To put it bluntly, China is the best proof that Japan's peace-and-accomodate strategy has failed. It is time to try something else, not double down and hope victory is on the corner.

As for the US, quite frankly they might come to save Japan's bacon. Maybe. But let's say you are an American trooper. Would you give your all to save a nation that won't defend itself? It is that simple.

As for the damage to the national economy? Now, seriously, I don't think it'll get wrecked by any realistically accomplishable defense budget increase. Really, whatever Ishihara and Hashimoto may think, even a resumption to the 5 trillion yen mark will be a tremendous accomplishment (very roughly .4 trillion above what they get now) given Japan's realities. A literal BLIP in the face of the ever exploding social security budget (In some years like 2009, the increase of the social security budget, if re-routed to defense, will make it nearly 50% bigger with obvious results)

Yet, given the current composition of the defense budget, that small increase will already do much to restore the currently choked flow of recapitalization money. When I see the choice of using that money for some old people past their prime versus for the whole nation's security, well darn it the choice is obvious is it not?

Similarly, control of the budgetary balance will not be effected by strangling defense. Or education. Or even public works that build roads to nowhere. Anybody that can read a chart of the various stresses on Japan's national budget can see that only one thing is really exploding. Don't strangle that thing, and nothing would make enough of a difference.

Oh, Ishihara is a right-wing nutjob. Unfortunately, in Japan it seems that only nutjobs talk about defense. So if I want defense, I have to choose the nutjob no matter what else he may say. If Japan don't want 15% of the population supporting a nutjob, Japan will have to grow some rational people that are serious about national security.

'Nuff said.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

On the contrary, Japan has already increased it Defense Spending Budget. Also, the U.S. and Japan are having high level discussions considering whether or not to ratify the current U.S.-Japan Peace Teaty in order to accomidate the Growing Threat from Communist China & Communist North Korea. Both Regimes have proven in recent acts of Threats & Intimidations that it is time for Japan to move forward with expanding upon its ability to defend themselves in the event of a Full Scale Assault from either or both Communist Nations. Also, Japan should consider arming themselves with Nuclear Weapons in order to get themselves on a more level playing field, because bilateral talks has gotten them absolutely nowhere and Communist China just landed their first Aircraft on an Aircraft Carrier. This Beast is a HUGE threat to the region, because Hostile Nations like China are not going to advance themselves with an Aircraft Carrier unless they plan to use it on a weaker Nation in order to move on their "Prospective Agenda's" they coin as "Defending their Soverign Interest".

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Saketown,

Hostile Nations like China

Exactly HOW is China being hostile?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Believe Hashimoto has lost his momentum eversince he joined hands with Ishihara and the return of Ozawa putting up Kada may turn out to be another painful blow for him. Then again he is not even running at this election so this may be all within his assumption and he may be focused already on his plans to run at next years upper house election.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Looks like the "Japan Restoration Party" hopes to restore Japan's military to full strength. On the plus side, they could wean Japan from dependence on U.S. military support, but on the minus side they will antagonize all of their old WWII foes in the Asian theatre. While the War Crimes Trial that was held in Tokyo after WWII was a farce, one of the charges - that there really WAS a pattern of aggression that the militarized Japan embarked upon starting in the 1920's - has a lot of documentation to back it up. The neighboring countries haven't forgotten and will not sit idly by if Japan attempts to re-arm.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I agree that it's a good idea for Japan to increase defense spending. I'm not sure that it would be enough to get the US out of Okinawa (and the JSDF might just move into the vacant base) but it would give a signal to China as well as cut lose some of the US forces.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Spending on what, more islands?! LOL. These two clowns run a circus and the sucker public still pays admission.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@CoffeeHulk

countries that have real economic problems and trouble taking care of their people, always want to throw money at their military. Raise national pride but never really solve any problems. Just create more...

Good points, but you have to identify the people motivating the policy and not simply blame the "country", because that doesn't serve to discriminate between those serving the interests of a false elite whose status is based on collusion and corruption (as opposed to meritocracy), and who seek to achieve their goals through deception--in this case, the "red herring" point is apropos in light of the Daiyo/Senkakus debacle, in particular.

These people certainly have the ability to get the mass media on their side, and the mass media is excessively influenced by advertisers, who supply the revenue that keeps them afloat, so that means money; i.e., the propertied class. We're looking at a Habermasian scenario here, a level or two more sophisticated than Marx.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

"Ishihara-Hashimoto party seeks bigger defense spending"

Wow! Who would have thought... that is a real surprise. I guess it will make a lot of the sheep vote for them. Just read the comment above by Kazuaki Shimazaki, that just about sums the up the future of Japan. This is sort of like the US. Lets vote for Obama and avoid worse.... So here, lets vote for the Kada, Noda and Ozawa gang, to avoid the fascists

and "ubikwit" you seem to forget that this is still a democracy and it is the japanese people taht elects its leaders. I am quire certain that you have heard this before: "Every country has the politicians and the government it deserves."

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Considering that Japan's debt is 200% of GDP, where is the money for this? Seems they didn't learn from history. Think USSR vs USA. In this case, you can replace USSR with Japan and USA with China. Who is going to win is too obvious but that didn't stop Japan before.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

In politics, money spent in a nation's "best interest" is never spent wisely, especially if its short on specifics.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Those two guys were still living in 1980, the golden years of Japan and they sounds like 'Nakasone-era'! The budget condition of Japan is far worst than 30 years ago and these two head of local government(Tokyo and Osaka) has no idea how worst the state's condition! If an arms race with PRC, that will be the most gratitutes from the Chinese communist party! Their 'intimidation' stragtegy works,both of them(Ishihara/hasimoto) were doing something just a throny issue and nothing more foolish than executing a 'dead policy' came to real! False hope is everywhere in Japanese politics, and so does Mr Abe!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@ka_chan: 'but that didn't stop Japan before.'

Many japanese people were still living in early 1980s and they still miss that 'Nakasone-era'! They just refused to see what is real and they resent to see what is China! Now you have an idea why japan is so out of touch with what is real!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Believe Hashimoto has lost his momentum eversince he joined hands with Ishihara and the return of Ozawa putting up Kada may turn out to be another painful blow for him. Then again he is not even running at this election so this may be all within his assumption and he may be focused already on his plans to run at next years upper house election.

I hope by then the people of Osaka have come to their senses. From my understanding, many have. They're wondering why the hell they elected some guy whose focus is now on the country and not on the city he promised to clean up.

Considering that Japan's debt is 200% of GDP, where is the money for this? Health care, education and pension of course. You think they're going to do away with construction that lines their back pockets?

Wake up Japan.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Looking at the budget allocation over the years, construction actually is dropping by like 50%. We may complain it is not dropping as fast as it should, but it is really the "pensions" (social security) that's robbing everything else in the budget.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@ka_chan If the real drain on Japan's economy is already defense like the USSR, your analogy would be appropriate and I'll agree with you. Anyone that can read the budget allocation however, can see that the real problem is not defense.

The truth is, even a 50% percent spike in Japan's defense budget will be no more than TWO, or in certain years ONE year's increase in the social security budget. So if you want to look for economic or budget wrecking boogeyman, with Japan you have to look elsewhere.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Kazuaki, of course pension is a drain. how many women are claiming it that have never paid one yen themselves for it? The system is a mess and needs to be changed ASAP. Thing is, how many Japanese women are actually willing to pay their fair share? How many husbands could support a SAHW and their pension on one salary? Not fair those of us who do work pay for it.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It is has been written and explained thousands of times, but it seems the supply of ignorant people never runs out:

YES Japans debt is 200%, but this debt ist held by japanese people! While the debt of countries like Greece is to international banks,,,,,

Try to think about it, and maybe you understand the difference this means.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Standard issue fascist crap. Spend less on people, more on military.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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