Japan’s Supreme Court has dismissed Okinawa’s rejection of a central government plan to build U.S. Marine Corps runways on the island and ordered the prefecture to approve it despite protests by locals who oppose the American troops’ presence.
Yes, the Rykuyu islands were a sovereign country… In the 16th century. It’s been run by Japan - save for a brief period between 1945 and 1978 - ever since. There’s a small and insignificant independence movement that pretty much everyone ignores. I remember them throwing bread rolls at our gate guards.
The US didn’t nuke Okinawa. I don’t think it was intentional, but your wording implied that it did.
Okinawans are split over the military issue. Some people want the US out. Others make tons of money off the Americans being there. It’s not a clear cut situation as you seem to imply.
The US is responsible for Japan’s defense ever since the end of WWII, just like it was for west Germany. Given that Japan didn’t make many friends during their little adventure across east Asia, having the world’s largest military protect them is a favorable arrangement for them.
It’s been several generations since WWII. Japan is one of the US’ closest allies. If they wanted to transform their self-defense force into a full-blown military and take over responsibility for their own defense, I’m sure they could do so. So far, no one has generated the political will to do that. Your buddy Kim isn’t helping things by sending missiles over Japan.
And lastly, WWII wasn’t a war of conquest for the US. Blame the US for interfering in Korea and Vietnam and the middle east all you like, but Japan was a different story. Calling the US’ actions in Japan “Imperialism” destroys any credibility you may have otherwise had.
It’s been several generations since WWII. Japan is one of the US’ closest allies. If they wanted to transform their self-defense force into a full-blown military and take over responsibility for their own defense, I’m sure they could do so. So far, no one has generated the political will to do that. Your buddy Kim isn’t helping things by sending missiles over Japan.
This part is ironic. The tankies will often argue that Japan shouldn’t be expanding their military (and anything their military does they think is wrong), but also that the US shouldn’t be involved. You don’t get both. You can’t just say a nation should have no way to defend itself, especially when you are defending Russia and China.
Calling the US’ actions in Japan “Imperialism” destroys any credibility you may have otherwise had.
Uh, they literally made them a protectorate by denying them the ability to field a military. Then when Japan was outcompeting them economically the USA economically undermined them pretty openly and Japan couldn’t do anything about it.
Japan is an imperial junior partner to the USA. They are a protectorate and vassal.
They literally made them a protectorate after fighting a bloody four year war that Japan started. Then denied them the right to field a military so that they wouldn’t start their shit up again.
What was the US supposed to do after Pearl Harbor? Shrug it off?
I find your claims of Japan being undermined by the US to be dubious at best. Japan has done very well since WWII. The US gave them their largest market (when many other Asian imports were blocked) and remains their second highest trading partner after China. They have the third largest economy in the world. That’s not exactly a “vassal.”
Looks, I get it, “US bad” no matter what. But out of all the examples of shitty things the US has done, picking Japan is just silly.
It’s interesting. You can really feel that they are just despondent and upset about late stage capitalism and tired of the use of American exceptionalism as the lie to sell everything America did as perfect but they literally ignore all the gray for a simplified answer of everything ever done was bad.
They really are like conservatives in that they simplify a world view to black or white and denounce everything in order to react first and have critical thoughts never.
They really are obnoxious aren’t they? Yet another group of shitty people who would let the world burn just so that they don’t have to think or put effort into their system of morals
What was the US supposed to do after Pearl Harbor?
You mean the attack the USA deliberately provoked by moving its naval assets to encircle and blockade Japan with the express goal of provoking an attack to create the necessary pretext to go to war? That Pearl Harbor?
How many other nations do you know of that were defeated in war that were prevented from having a standing military for nearly a century and instead was occupyied by the victor’s military forces and the Supreme Court of that country ruling in favor of the military interests of the dominator?
Your lack of imagination and historical awareness is not an argument for why the USA isn’t engaged in imperialism.
In the 1980s, Japan was the big bad. Its economy was booming — the second largest in the world — and many in the United States feared they were about to be overtaken.
Articles were published warning of the “Japanning of America” or an “economic Pearl Harbor,” as Japanese businesses bought US companies and landmarks. Lawmakers and commentators warned of a growing trade deficit between the two countries, and complained of Japanese firms stealing US intellectual property and taking advantage of unfair trade deals.
Again, your ignorance is not a point of view that commands respect. Japan did everything it could to work within the US rules and in doing so began to actually compete with the US economically. So the US used its outsized power to launch a trade war against Japan and ultimately forced its hand into signing lopsided trade deals, because Japan is a vassal and must comply with the will of the hegemony of the North Atlantic as expressed through the USA.
We don’t need to only critique the USA for atrocities. It’s important to see the world for how it works. Japan’s occupation of Okinawa is still terrible and this action to put a US military base is a good example as to why. If Okinawa was fully assimilated into Japan, it wouldn’t be the dumping ground for USA military bases enforced by the Japanese Supreme Court. Likewise despite people thinking Hawaii is an assimilated part of the USA, it wouldn’t be the tragedy that it is.
The largest minority group in Japan are the Ryukyuan people of Okinawa and Japan won’t even recognize them. Japan is a junior imperialist partner of the Western imperial block executing to advance the interests of the USA and, by proxy, the North Atlantic bourgeoisie.
The idea that this should be above reproach because it’s not the worst thing the USA did is ridiculous. The idea that Japan deserved it is just bog standard liberal bloodthirst.
You mean the attack the USA deliberately provoked by moving its naval assets to encircle and blockade Japan with the express goal of provoking an attack to create the necessary pretext to go to war? That Pearl Harbor?
Funny how almost all our battleships were in Hawaii, then. Not much of a blockade. Perhaps you mean that we stopped trading with them and they declared it an “act of war?”
In any event, the US didn’t need an excuse to join the war. Germany was giving us plenty already.
How many other nations do you know of that were defeated in war that were prevented from having a standing military for nearly a century and instead was occupyied by the victor’s military forces and the Supreme Court of that country ruling in favor of the military interests of the dominator?
Germany wasn’t allowed a standing military, either. They managed to convince the allies that they could contribute to NATO, and were allowed to do so again.
Japan is forbidden to have a military by their own constitution. Certain parties have tried to have it amended to allow a more active military (the SDF is almost purely self-defense), but so far the political will hasn’t been there for it.
The “ruling in the interests of the dominator” bit is your words. I wonder if the Supreme Court of Japan would agree with your description of their decision. I somehow doubt it.
links I’m not going to read
Yeah, the trade balance with Japan was heavily skewed on Japan’s side. The US and Japan worked out a rebalance of the system. What, exactly, is so evil about that?
We don’t need to only critique the USA for atrocities. It’s important to see the world for how it works. Japan’s occupation of Okinawa is still terrible and this action to put a US military base is a good example as to why. If Okinawa was fully assimilated into Japan, it wouldn’t be the dumping ground for USA military bases enforced by the Japanese Supreme Court. Likewise despite people thinking Hawaii is an assimilated part of the USA, it wouldn’t be the tragedy that it is.
Tell me you’ve never been to Okinawa without telling me you’ve never been to Okinawa. It’s not some hick island full of yokels. It’s a modern, fully-integrated Japanese prefecture. A bit more laid back than the mainland, but that’s to be expected.
The bases there were built before the US decided to return Okinawa to Japan. The US has been slowly decommissioning bases and returning them to Japanese control ever since.
Did you even check what the supreme court was ruling? They’re not building a new base. They’re relocating MCAS Futenma, because it’s smack dab in the middle of a city and can’t do night operations without waking everyone up and filling the air with jet fuel fumes.
What is it with you tankies and Hawaii, anyway? Have you spent any real time there? I have. Saying it’s not fully part of the United States is bizarre. It’s a state. The only way it could become more a part of the United States is if you somehow towed the islands to California.
The largest minority group in Japan are the Ryukyuan people of Okinawa and Japan won’t even recognize them. Japan is a junior imperialist partner of the Western imperial block executing to advance the interests of the USA and, by proxy, the North Atlantic bourgeoisie.
They’re Japanese citizens, with all the rights and responsibilities of every other Japanese citizen. You want to talk about disenfranchisement, talk about the Ainu. I’m sure you’ll figure out some way to blame that on the US too.
“North Atlantic bourgeoisie” - that just cracks me up.
The idea that this should be above reproach because it’s not the worst thing the USA did is ridiculous. The idea that Japan deserved it is just bog standard liberal bloodthirst.
I never claimed anything was above reproach. I said it wasn’t a good example of imperialism and that you should choose another example if you want to criticize the US.
Now tell me some unrelated nonsense (maybe bring up Hawaii again?) and that you’re “not going to post anymore” because it’s useless to talk to me (which it is - you’re very clearly in the wrong on this one), so we can get this behind us.
A few points you missed.
Yes, the Rykuyu islands were a sovereign country… In the 16th century. It’s been run by Japan - save for a brief period between 1945 and 1978 - ever since. There’s a small and insignificant independence movement that pretty much everyone ignores. I remember them throwing bread rolls at our gate guards.
The US didn’t nuke Okinawa. I don’t think it was intentional, but your wording implied that it did.
Okinawans are split over the military issue. Some people want the US out. Others make tons of money off the Americans being there. It’s not a clear cut situation as you seem to imply.
The US is responsible for Japan’s defense ever since the end of WWII, just like it was for west Germany. Given that Japan didn’t make many friends during their little adventure across east Asia, having the world’s largest military protect them is a favorable arrangement for them.
It’s been several generations since WWII. Japan is one of the US’ closest allies. If they wanted to transform their self-defense force into a full-blown military and take over responsibility for their own defense, I’m sure they could do so. So far, no one has generated the political will to do that. Your buddy Kim isn’t helping things by sending missiles over Japan.
And lastly, WWII wasn’t a war of conquest for the US. Blame the US for interfering in Korea and Vietnam and the middle east all you like, but Japan was a different story. Calling the US’ actions in Japan “Imperialism” destroys any credibility you may have otherwise had.
Free Ryukyu! Revolution of our time!
This part is ironic. The tankies will often argue that Japan shouldn’t be expanding their military (and anything their military does they think is wrong), but also that the US shouldn’t be involved. You don’t get both. You can’t just say a nation should have no way to defend itself, especially when you are defending Russia and China.
Uh, they literally made them a protectorate by denying them the ability to field a military. Then when Japan was outcompeting them economically the USA economically undermined them pretty openly and Japan couldn’t do anything about it.
Japan is an imperial junior partner to the USA. They are a protectorate and vassal.
They literally made them a protectorate after fighting a bloody four year war that Japan started. Then denied them the right to field a military so that they wouldn’t start their shit up again.
What was the US supposed to do after Pearl Harbor? Shrug it off?
I find your claims of Japan being undermined by the US to be dubious at best. Japan has done very well since WWII. The US gave them their largest market (when many other Asian imports were blocked) and remains their second highest trading partner after China. They have the third largest economy in the world. That’s not exactly a “vassal.”
Looks, I get it, “US bad” no matter what. But out of all the examples of shitty things the US has done, picking Japan is just silly.
Removed by mod
It’s interesting. You can really feel that they are just despondent and upset about late stage capitalism and tired of the use of American exceptionalism as the lie to sell everything America did as perfect but they literally ignore all the gray for a simplified answer of everything ever done was bad.
They really are like conservatives in that they simplify a world view to black or white and denounce everything in order to react first and have critical thoughts never.
They really are obnoxious aren’t they? Yet another group of shitty people who would let the world burn just so that they don’t have to think or put effort into their system of morals
Yeah, you’d think I’d know better by now.
LOL
You mean the attack the USA deliberately provoked by moving its naval assets to encircle and blockade Japan with the express goal of provoking an attack to create the necessary pretext to go to war? That Pearl Harbor?
How many other nations do you know of that were defeated in war that were prevented from having a standing military for nearly a century and instead was occupyied by the victor’s military forces and the Supreme Court of that country ruling in favor of the military interests of the dominator?
Your lack of imagination and historical awareness is not an argument for why the USA isn’t engaged in imperialism.
https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2019/09/11/washingtons-old-japan-problem-and-the-current-china-threat/
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1989/05/containing-japan/376337/
https://www.nber.org/system/files/chapters/c8717/c8717.pdf
https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/24/business/us-china-trade-war-japan-intl/index.html
Again, your ignorance is not a point of view that commands respect. Japan did everything it could to work within the US rules and in doing so began to actually compete with the US economically. So the US used its outsized power to launch a trade war against Japan and ultimately forced its hand into signing lopsided trade deals, because Japan is a vassal and must comply with the will of the hegemony of the North Atlantic as expressed through the USA.
We don’t need to only critique the USA for atrocities. It’s important to see the world for how it works. Japan’s occupation of Okinawa is still terrible and this action to put a US military base is a good example as to why. If Okinawa was fully assimilated into Japan, it wouldn’t be the dumping ground for USA military bases enforced by the Japanese Supreme Court. Likewise despite people thinking Hawaii is an assimilated part of the USA, it wouldn’t be the tragedy that it is.
The largest minority group in Japan are the Ryukyuan people of Okinawa and Japan won’t even recognize them. Japan is a junior imperialist partner of the Western imperial block executing to advance the interests of the USA and, by proxy, the North Atlantic bourgeoisie.
The idea that this should be above reproach because it’s not the worst thing the USA did is ridiculous. The idea that Japan deserved it is just bog standard liberal bloodthirst.
Funny how almost all our battleships were in Hawaii, then. Not much of a blockade. Perhaps you mean that we stopped trading with them and they declared it an “act of war?”
In any event, the US didn’t need an excuse to join the war. Germany was giving us plenty already.
Germany wasn’t allowed a standing military, either. They managed to convince the allies that they could contribute to NATO, and were allowed to do so again.
Japan is forbidden to have a military by their own constitution. Certain parties have tried to have it amended to allow a more active military (the SDF is almost purely self-defense), but so far the political will hasn’t been there for it.
The “ruling in the interests of the dominator” bit is your words. I wonder if the Supreme Court of Japan would agree with your description of their decision. I somehow doubt it.
Yeah, the trade balance with Japan was heavily skewed on Japan’s side. The US and Japan worked out a rebalance of the system. What, exactly, is so evil about that?
Tell me you’ve never been to Okinawa without telling me you’ve never been to Okinawa. It’s not some hick island full of yokels. It’s a modern, fully-integrated Japanese prefecture. A bit more laid back than the mainland, but that’s to be expected.
The bases there were built before the US decided to return Okinawa to Japan. The US has been slowly decommissioning bases and returning them to Japanese control ever since.
Did you even check what the supreme court was ruling? They’re not building a new base. They’re relocating MCAS Futenma, because it’s smack dab in the middle of a city and can’t do night operations without waking everyone up and filling the air with jet fuel fumes.
What is it with you tankies and Hawaii, anyway? Have you spent any real time there? I have. Saying it’s not fully part of the United States is bizarre. It’s a state. The only way it could become more a part of the United States is if you somehow towed the islands to California.
They’re Japanese citizens, with all the rights and responsibilities of every other Japanese citizen. You want to talk about disenfranchisement, talk about the Ainu. I’m sure you’ll figure out some way to blame that on the US too.
“North Atlantic bourgeoisie” - that just cracks me up.
I never claimed anything was above reproach. I said it wasn’t a good example of imperialism and that you should choose another example if you want to criticize the US.
Now tell me some unrelated nonsense (maybe bring up Hawaii again?) and that you’re “not going to post anymore” because it’s useless to talk to me (which it is - you’re very clearly in the wrong on this one), so we can get this behind us.