The Samurai and the Tiger Join Forces to Face the Dragon

[Valin]

The Feed:

12/22/13

 

Japan and India began joint military exercises in the Indian Ocean this week, a tangible step toward closer cooperation between Chinas two biggest Asian rivals. The * WSJ reports:

 

Two destroyers from Japan joined three ships from the Indian Navy Thursday for the start of four days of military exercises in the Bay of Bengal. The exercises will be the second for the navies of the two countries. The first exercise was off the coast of Tokyo in June of last year.

 

A stealth frigate, a guided missile destroyer and a missile launching ship from the Indian Navy will conduct drills with two guided missile destroyers from the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force, according to an Indian government statement.

The exercise comes amid a warming relationship between Tokyo and New Delhi, and not just in military affairs. The Japanese emperor and empress visited India recently, and Japanese companies like Suzuki and Sony have been significantly building up operations there. The alliance makes a lot of sense: both India and Japan have territorial disputes with China, and both are on the lookout for allies to balance Beijing, which is becoming more aggressive and more powerful, economically as well as militarily.

 

(Snip)

 

 

* Behind Paywall

[Valin]

Japan: Land of the rising gun

Dan Blumenthal, Michael Mazza

December 20, 2013

 

Japans first-ever national security strategy, released this week, may prove to be an inflection point in 21st-century Asias young history. Not only had Japan abided by a strict interpretation of its U.S.-written pacifist constitution over the last six decades, but Japans people had adopted pacifism as an important part of their national identity. And yet, somewhat suddenly, a country that has been not just wary of but eager to avoid foreign military entanglements is now implementing a more proactive national security policy. Its plans are good for Japan, good for Asia, and good for U.S. interests.

 

While Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is owed Washingtons thanks for his steely leadership, congrats are also in order for Beijing. China has done what North Korean belligerence and American goading have long failed to do: awake Japan from its Rip Van Winkle-like postmodern slumber. Just four years ago, Japans then prime minister Yukio Hatoyama was seeking to distance Tokyo from Washington and pushing the formation of an Asians-only East Asian Community.

 

But now, according to the National Security Strategy, Japan lives in a severe security environment. Leaving little doubt as to the responsible party, the strategy document accuses China of attempts to change the status quo by coercion, intruding into Japans territorial waters and airspace around the Senkaku islands, and unduly [infringing] the freedom of overflight above the high seas.

 

(Snip)