Japan PM Wants First-Strike Capability

Editor’s note: North Korea faces innumerably more security threats than does Japan. If then Japan feels the need to have such missiles, doesn’t that prove just how urgent it is for North Korea, that has 30,000 troops belonging to a hostile, nuclear-armed world hegemon (that is nominally still at war with it, and continues to strangle it with a blockade) parked a stone-throw from its border, to have them?

Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has taken the Japanese defenses policy away from its post-war pacifism to a growing military with an increasingly loose sense of self-defense. A week before stepping down, he’s talking taking it a step farther.

Abe now says he wants Japan to have “first-strike” capabilities to attack enemy bases around the area. Abe argued that would increase deterrence, meaning this is the ultimate extension of “self-defense,” where the nation would be flagrantly attacking other countries and claiming defense.

Abe suggested intercepting missiles was no longer sufficient, [Well he’s right about that. Any “missile defense” is untested and highly suspect.] and called for a new revised defense policy. With Japan’s two main rivals being China and North Korea, any Japanese first strikes would likely start a major war.

Abe’s call is likely to be supported by his successor, with his party’s leadership largely leaning hawkish, particularly when it comes to China. Given US hostility toward China, it’s likely the US will push them toward this action as well.

Source: Antiwar.com