Is there any intention to produce aircraft carrier in Japan?

[Mansoor]

In my viewpoint, Japan is like a powerful King Kong that has been frozen in the military weaponry world for many years and it is forgotten in this dimension. I read somewhere that Japan is going to produce an aircraft carrier soon. I wondered of the news, because USA government doesn't allow Japan to produce any important weapon after end of world war II, among developed fighters and key warships like a carrier. I have two questions:

- is the news right?

- When Japanese will be released from the prison of USA military sanctions and limitation and can recovery their army and defensive forces independently, like other countries?

 

[lanthas]

Are you talking about this? Japan's Latest Destroyer Sure Looks Like An Aircraft Carrier!
Looks to me like it's already finished.

 

[Majestic]

Japan has one of the largest military budgets in the world.
List of countries by military expenditures - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I reckon Japan's military budget is many times bigger than Iran's. I also think that if Japan wanted to, it could produce an atomic arsenal in a very short time. However, Japan's military ambitions are checked not by any US sanctions, rather it is the Japanese pacifist constitution that puts the brakes on Japan's ambitions. Many Japanese are very proud of their pacifist constitution. Others (such as PM Abe) would like to revise this section of the constitution.

 

[Mark of Zorro]

This thread is definitely in the wrong section.

Next, I just have to voice my consternation against an individual who posts of militaries and war machines so casually, as if we were discussion toys for children or something.

Everything Majestic says is true, but important points need added. One is that Japan's current Constitution was written by Americans. And yes the point was to keep Japan from developing a military. So its not really so wrong to think America is keeping Japan down in this regard. But its also true that there is no real spirit (as far as I can see) among Americans today to stop Japan having a full fledged military. In fact, there is real spirit to get Japan to develop and participate away despite the Constitution.

Also, Japan's Self Defense Force is illegal according to the Constitution and anyone who reads article 9 honestly knows this. There is just a collective will to be dishonest about it to the point that pure pacifists can't stop it, while semi-pacifists like myself feel the need for a country to be able to exercise self-defense.

That said, Japan has a first rate navy, and just as Majestic says, Japan is a world leader on military spending. Japan is doing just fine militarily and the only reason to think otherwise is to be war loving (insert explicative here) who thinks invading other countries for sport is better than video games, or I suppose, being misinformed.

 

[Mansoor]

When the recent Constitution of Japan will be expired?

I mean, when recent Japanese generation and government will get rid the limitations that were imposed on Japan by America government after WWII, while 80 years have passed since the war .

I agree that the old government of Japan did a great wrong that had an alliance with Germany leader, Hitler and Italian leader, Mussolini in WWII but I also agree that at the time, America government did a great wrong using Atomic bomb versus two cities of Japan that the most majority of their residents were Japanese civilians.

Now, 80 years have passed since the wrong war, and those Japanese and American government both have gone and don't exist , so why Japan had to tolerate the punishment that its time has expired?!
Why recent America governments have a hidden and obvious domination and supervision on Japan so, and use this country as a military base and consider its government as its servant?!

(I excuse Americans here. I know they are faultless and are not responsible about what the WH has done in the past, and is doing some other wrongs today.
I am happy that you are friends of Japanese, but sadly I have to say USA army must leave Japan and leave this country alone with its government and people.
WWII has expired by all its wrongs. Nowadays Japan is not deserve to remain in the loops of sanctions and limitations. It must not be used as an American military base. The Constitution of Japan relative to the end of WWII must be replaced with a new Constitution that warrants the independence and acquittal of Japan.)

 

[Majestic]

There is no expiry date on a constitution. As I said before, and as you will know if you read up on current events in Japan, many Japanese are proud of the pacifist constitution. They see the renunciation of war as an honorable ideal for their country to have. They view some of their current leaders with great distrust, and they dread any re-armament of Japan. Many view the constitution as a progressive document which has helped their country throw off feudalism and imperialism. There are not many that view their current constitution as a "punishment", but the ones that do hold this view are generally very right-wing, conservative politicians.

As wikipedia says, "The majority of Japanese citizens approve the spirit of Article 9 and consider it personally important."

Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My question to you, Mansoor, is, why do you insist on repudiating the will of the Japanese people? Why do you ignore their admiration for Article 9, and instead try to sow the seeds of discontent and animosity towards the US? In an earlier post you stated that all humans desire peace, and yet when Japan has a much-admired pacifist constitution, you claim they should discard it and start arming for war. You seem to be a very confused person.

 

[Mansoor]

So, Japan hadn't any intention to manufacture an aircraft carrier and the news that I read was untrue?!

 

[Majestic]

Kindly read the article that Lanthas posted, and then come back with questions if you have them.

 

[Mansoor]

I read the article and also found the news that I read already:

Japan Mulls Aircraft Carrier Future?
Japan will reportedly fly surveillance drones from its destroyers as a possible prelude to building aircraft carriers.

Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force may begin flying unmanned surveillance drones from destroyers at sea as a possible prelude to procuring aircraft carriers, local media is reporting.

;

 

[Majestic]

So you know that Japan has a carrier that is capable of launching helicopters, and you also know they have the ability and probably the political desire to build larger aircraft carriers.

Which means you now know that your assertion of Japan's military being frozen in 1945 is not true. And you also know that the notion of the US forbidding Japan's military buildup is also untrue. So it is ridiculous to speak of a prison of US military sanctions.

 

[Mansoor]

I congratulate you Japaneses and waiting for the carrier that you want to make, but I have a few asks :

1- Make the carrier yourself and don't ask help of USA military industries.

2- Ask your government to say to USA to remove its military units (bases) from Japan, because it is not good for you that a part of foreign army nests in your country and use your territory for their military purposes.
I think, if USA government leaves you alone, Japan will be deserve to recover and reinforce its defensive forces itself, although I don't see any opponent that threaten you among your neighbors. If America want to be friend of Japan, it will not be necessary they encamp in Japan. They can be a friend from remote!

3- Don't conflict and oppose with China in vain! It is a good country with a peaceful people and government. I myself like them and don't choose that you trouble them unreasonably. Behave to Chinese friendly and try to develop your political and trade relations with Beijing. This makes you more confident.

4- Don't interfere in the conflict that is between USA, South-Korea and North-Korea. As I told in a separate post, N-K is not considered as a danger for Japan. The people and government of N-K are concerned about their borders against USA and S-K that are confederates versus Pyongyang.
I heard recently, North-Kora tested its newest Balletic Missile and Kim Jong -un said that he will never use them versus anyone, except against those attackers that threaten N-K. I think it is a logical word and every country is concerned about the safety and security of its borders against occupants, especially N-K that is under siege of USA fleets in the seas, and in danger of ground attacks of South-Korea.
However, I recommend you Japanese don't interfere in the crisis that has been created in the area. I am sure, if USA army withdraw from waters close to N-K the crisis will be removed soon.

 

[Majestic]

So...this is not a question about Japan, it is (yet another) diatribe against the US. I am shocked. I honestly thought this was a question about Japan's intention to build aircraft carriers.

 

[Mansoor]

So...this is not a question about Japan, it is (yet another) diatribe against the US. I am shocked. I honestly thought this was a question about Japan's intention to build aircraft carriers.

Because I told, USA army should leaves Japan? Or the viewpoint that Japan must stands on his feet and also don't interfere in the tensions between America and N-K?

No, actually I wanted to know whether Japan is going to build an aircraft carrier or not? I wanted to know, how much is ability of Japaneses to make a carrier.
Of course I knew, Japan had a few developed aircraft carrier in WWII that was stronger than American carrier, at the time, but sadly the old government of Japan used them in a wrong war.

This demonstrates that Japan is able to manufacture the similar carriers today with a lot of new equipment. But before making the carrier, Japan is needful to product a model of developed fighter that can competes with American F 35 and Russian T 50.
Sadly Japan was lagged of the competition for many years and it was because of possession of USA on Japan after the end of WWII.

I saw in a newsreel that Japan flied its newest fighter recently that is called X-2 and it has a national name "Shinshin" as well. It is told that it is an answer to F 35, T50, J 20 and J 31, but based on my personal visiting and measurement, it is more a demonstrative fighter than a practical and effective fighter in the battlefields that can competes with American and Russian planes.

Nonetheless, the effort and will of Japaneses is appreciated that could produce this prototype of fighter, but it is not the end of the way and they have to develop their knowledge and experience so that they can manufacture the best fighters like T 50 ( I love the shape of this fighter and aldo J 20 and J 31)

Also it is not enough that Japan makes a prototype of a fighter. For example X-2 should be mass production, although I believe Japan must designs a more powerful fighter for mass production.

 

[Majestic]

Because I told, USA army should leaves Japan? Or the viewpoint that Japan must stands on his feet and also don't interfere in the tensions between America and N-K?

No, because the answer to your question was given to you about 30 minutes after your initial post, and you decided to ignore it and launch into another tedious polemic against US/Japan relations.

 

[Mansoor]

Sometimes a discussion turns to another topic for a while and it is a natural thing in the forums. But apparently you are uneasy that I argued about presence of USAA in Japan.
Okey, I stop discussing in this case, but I have just a question :
Are you a Japanese, Majestic? And whether all Japanese think like you about presence of USAA in Japan? I mean, are they happy that USAA is in Japan?!
It is the last my question and if I know the majority of Japaneses approve the military presence of USA in Japan I will never point to this subject hereafter.

 

[Majestic]

I don't mind the discussion, Mansoor. What I mind is the pretense of your asking an easily-referenced question (that members take their time and effort to answer) only to have those efforts ignored. Its extremely rude, I think. It clearly shows you have no interest in the question, and you just want an excuse to express anti-American sentiment. It would have been 100 times more refreshing and honest had you started a thread that said, "Should Japan Reject The US-drafted Constitution?", instead of asking us silly questions about aircraft carriers that you can easily Google by yourself.

The question of the Japanese constitution and Article 9 is a huge topic of conversation here and elsewhere. There is a massive amount of information available on this subject if you are really interested. Likewise, there is a massive amount of information on the US bases here. (Typically we refer to it as US or USA. USAA would be an incorrect usage. You are welcome.).

Me personally, no I think it is surely time for America to pull its bases out of Japan (and Germany, etc...). I think most Japanese would agree with that. However, there are many Japanese employed by the US bases, and many Japanese companies that earn a lot of revenue from the US presence, and, many Japanese are deeply suspicious of the Chinese and the North Koreans, and so there is a significant number of Japanese people that welcome the US military here. I am not one of those people, but I understand the sentiment.

 

[Mansoor]

Well, finding the answer of a question by googling is possible but the information in the various websites are different and sometimes unreliable. Besides, I sometimes choose a topic and send it to a forum to create a conversation.
Four years ago, I couldn't write any comment in English, because I didn't know this language except a little that I had learned in the high school.
I could learn English ( up to now) via conversations in the forums. It was a hard method and I had a lot of problems with people in the topics. They told, they don't understand my English and don't know what I am saying! ( I often didn't understand what they were saying as well!) But those problems couldn't reject me! I continued practicing in the forums.
I sometimes asked some questions that I knew their answers because my main motivation was that to impel people to speak and talk with me! Thus, I could learn English updated!
Therefore, I can find the answers of a question by googling, but I prefer to ask people in the forums.

 

[Majestic]

Now you know, Japan is capable of building aircraft carriers. Japan's leaders are agitating now to reform its constitution, and to once again militarize. Japan is suspicious of North Korea (because North Korea kidnapped many Japanese citizens, and other reasons such as the destruction of a passenger aircraft over Japan - something which I think you will understand). Japan is suspicious of China because of territorial disputes and probably a million other reasons. Japan will not likely form an alliance with China or North Korea (although on an interpersonal level, Japanese and Chinese enjoy cordial relations).
And you also now know that I think the US should not have a huge presence here. You also know that many Japanese, maybe even most Japanese, feel the same way. You also know that some Japanese are OK with the US presence here.
Hopefully this thread has been educational for you.