- Joined
- Jun 15, 2014
- Messages
- 29,067
- Reaction score
- 9,684
- Location
- Florida The Armband State
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Progressive
Japan is living these days in a bad neighborhood. Japan is in fact living in a horrendous neighborhood given its historic neighbors are North Korea, the CCP Boyz in Beijing, Putin's Russia. So Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is taking necessary steps to protect the country from predators. Specifically and as recently as last week, one aircraft carrier and 100 F-35 on order from the US.
Japan to convert helicopter carrier Izumo into aircraft carrier
The government's latest defense plan calls for the vessel to be converted to carry F-35 jets.
Plan to be included in new defense program, raising constitutional questions.
DECEMBER 11, 2018
Reuters
Japan helicopter carrier Izumo and ships of Japan Maritime Self Defense Force join with US aircraft carrier strike force during exercises in the East Sea.
TOKYO -- Japan plans to convert the Maritime Self-Defense Force's helicopter carrier Izumo into an aircraft carrier under a new basic defense program to be adopted later this month.
The plan was revealed in an outline of the program presented by the government at a national security meeting at the prime minister's office on Tuesday. The outline states that the Izumo will be converted into an aircraft carrier, enabling Japan to deploy the U.S.-built, short-takeoff and vertical-landing F-35 fighters on the vessel.
Critics warn that if the ship is converted it will give Japan the ability to strike military bases overseas, despite the government's repeated denials. The current interpretation of Japan's pacifist constitution limits the country's military capabilities to self-defense.
The outline stresses the importance of defense in new areas including space, cyber and electronic warfare. At the start of the meeting, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the government should "abandon the existing concept of ground, maritime and air defense and carry out reforms at an unprecedented speed."
The government intends to adopt the new defense program at a cabinet meeting on Dec. 18. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, Komeito, will hold a working-level meeting later Tuesday to discuss the program outline.
Komeito, historically a dovish party, has called on the government to give a full explanation as to why the Izumo needs to be converted into an aircraft carrier, and to eliminate contractions between that policy and the government's remarks on the matter in parliament.
https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Japan-to-convert-helicopter-carrier-Izumo-into-aircraft-carrier
Japan has 20 of the F-35A in the pipleline and wants 100 more of 'em to include both the A and the vertical takeoff B. Tokyo wants the F-22 Raptor too but can't get it at this point due to its shrouded technology, i.e., confidential and protected. Japan would do well to get the whole of the package they want given the monstrous neighborhood they are in geostrategically and in terms of their national security. Fact is you can't successfully fight off an attacker or attackers indefinitely. You must have some offensive capacity and capability.
Japan to convert helicopter carrier Izumo into aircraft carrier
The government's latest defense plan calls for the vessel to be converted to carry F-35 jets.
Plan to be included in new defense program, raising constitutional questions.
DECEMBER 11, 2018
Reuters
Japan helicopter carrier Izumo and ships of Japan Maritime Self Defense Force join with US aircraft carrier strike force during exercises in the East Sea.
TOKYO -- Japan plans to convert the Maritime Self-Defense Force's helicopter carrier Izumo into an aircraft carrier under a new basic defense program to be adopted later this month.
The plan was revealed in an outline of the program presented by the government at a national security meeting at the prime minister's office on Tuesday. The outline states that the Izumo will be converted into an aircraft carrier, enabling Japan to deploy the U.S.-built, short-takeoff and vertical-landing F-35 fighters on the vessel.
Critics warn that if the ship is converted it will give Japan the ability to strike military bases overseas, despite the government's repeated denials. The current interpretation of Japan's pacifist constitution limits the country's military capabilities to self-defense.
The outline stresses the importance of defense in new areas including space, cyber and electronic warfare. At the start of the meeting, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the government should "abandon the existing concept of ground, maritime and air defense and carry out reforms at an unprecedented speed."
The government intends to adopt the new defense program at a cabinet meeting on Dec. 18. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, Komeito, will hold a working-level meeting later Tuesday to discuss the program outline.
Komeito, historically a dovish party, has called on the government to give a full explanation as to why the Izumo needs to be converted into an aircraft carrier, and to eliminate contractions between that policy and the government's remarks on the matter in parliament.
https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Japan-to-convert-helicopter-carrier-Izumo-into-aircraft-carrier
Japan has 20 of the F-35A in the pipleline and wants 100 more of 'em to include both the A and the vertical takeoff B. Tokyo wants the F-22 Raptor too but can't get it at this point due to its shrouded technology, i.e., confidential and protected. Japan would do well to get the whole of the package they want given the monstrous neighborhood they are in geostrategically and in terms of their national security. Fact is you can't successfully fight off an attacker or attackers indefinitely. You must have some offensive capacity and capability.