U.S. 10th generation fighter, about to make a bombing run, just for old time's sake.















This post was edited by Ghot on Dec 16 2022 04:15pm

Fyi they are building the best cars with hightest standards in the world. My waifu is better than yours.

Economically speaking, yes they are a power-house. But in order to be a super-power, there has to be a very strong military, which they don't have.

What is more likely

Japan new aggression with US for minimal foreseeable gain

China new aggression with Taiwan

From an American perspective, this is heartening news. Having powerful Allies is essential in this world

Don't really think if Taiwan was returned to China, then that is an existential threat to Japan. I mean they like having that as a buffer state but I don't believe if one happens then that means subsequent wars of aggression on Japan by China are next.

I think they want to show that they won't be pushed around and the best way to do that is to build up a military. It's undeniable that China is a rising power and will become THE power in the region. Japan doesn't want to depend entirely on the US for protection, especially when they see that the US policeman deterrent isn't what it used to be 50 or even 20 years ago.

Problem with Japan is, they have an aging and declining population which is a massive deal. They have ballooning liabilities with not enough future tax payers and their debt is literally the highest in the world when compared to GDP. Whatever they muster is going to be for defensive purposes really.

I think you misunderstood what I meant I am not indicating Japanese aggression that USA is worried about.There is non Japanese aggression.

Returned to? I didn't know that the PRC ever held Formosa.

Japan is a resource poor island nation. Control over imports and exports is control over Japan. I don't think anyone seriously expects the Chinese to invade Japan and incur the millions of casualties that that would entail, but at that point, they wouldn't have to.

The islands population is vastly Chinese and it has roots in Han Chinese dating many centuries way before western colonialists showed up. Just because this current iteration of the Chinese authority never held it doesn’t mean you can separate its ethnic roots. That is the strongest claim over sovereignty.

The bulk of Japanese public debt is held by its own people, so it's far less of a big deal than other countries' outstanding debt with foreign creditors.

Taiwan serves as a gigantic buffer that allows the US, Japan and their alliance to stop China from exerting influence over half of the South China Sea as well as almost the entirety of the East China Sea, and thus over something like 50% of the world's entire shipping volume. Therefore, even if the foundries were relocated to the mainland US or to Japan, Taiwan would still have have tremendous strategic value.

This post was edited by Black XistenZ on Dec 17 2022 12:00pm