"Japan's Master Plan to Defend Itself from China" Topic

"For decades, Tokyo's plans to defend the homeland were frozen in amber. During the Cold War it was assumed, that in the event of war the Soviet Union would invade the northern one-third of the country. A powerful tank corps to contest a Soviet landing, a strong air force to beat back city-destroying bombers and a strong destroyer force to keep open the sea-lanes would be all that was needed to hold out until the Americans arrived.

The defense plan staggered on after the end of the Cold War like a zombie, even after the evaporation of the Soviet threat, for lack of anything better to plan for. Now the rise of the Chinese military and Beijing's claims on what Japan calls the Senkaku Islands have Japan reorganizing its forces to face new potential threats to the south…"
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Amicalement
Armand

What? No giant robots? Japan, I am dissapoint! :(

I was hoping for giant robots too, and/or some barely-legal , barely- clad young girls on rollerskates with shotguns and swords.

plus some pink mutant pickachu thing.

…or girls und panzers.

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Time to harvest all those iguanas and throw then into the reactors

Be careful what you ask for, Capt Jimmi, "barely legal" in Japan doesn't mean the same thing as "barely legal" in the US.

The MSDF and ASDF are pretty well set up to cover the Ryukyu islands (Okinawa etc, and therefore able to cover the Senkakus), but the GSDF/"Army" needs more amphibious transports.

Taiwan dropped their territorial claim once the Japanese agreed to grant fishing rights.

It's pretty ironic that the PRC didn't assert a territorial claim until after there were thought to be petroleum deposits around the Senkakus. Hell, 6 years before the oil was discovered, the PRC published a map that showed the Senkakus as Japanese!

Does it secretly include something to do with Godzilla ?

But if mainland China lacks the ability to conduct a creditable invasion of Taiwan, which it badly covets, why would anyone think they have the capacity to invade JAPAN, a heavily populated and larger nation with an even stronger defense capability? This is all sci-fi.

Yes, I have said many times. With China's limited capabilities to project combat power. Over seas and oceans. The only ones that may have to be concerned are those lands that border China. Like Russia, India, Vietnam, etc., and even that does not seem very likely currently …

China does possess the capability to nuke Japan off the face of the earth. Japan as an archipelago has somewhere between jack and for natural resources, there's little incentive for China to invade.

And L4, Japan does border China, their 200-nautical-mile EEZs overlap. There's just no land border between them.

Yes, that was my point … there is not overland route from China to Japan … But yes we know China could nuke Japan. But even they must know that is not advisable … IMO …

But if mainland China lacks the ability to conduct a creditable invasion of Taiwan, which it badly covets, why would anyone think they have the capacity to invade JAPAN, a heavily populated and larger nation with an even stronger defense capability? This is all sci-fi.

Actually China has already conquered Taiwan through economic interdependence. The Taiwanese economy is now largely dependent on China for success (and vice versa).

Incidentally Taiwanese military is in free for all. They've been unable to acquire new fighter aircraft, are shrinking number of conscripts partially due to the unfitness of most Taiwanese to do military service (increasingly "soft" middle class types). Taiwan's defence expenditure has been declining continuously since at least 2001.

In other sources, the Japanese plan to scrap large chunks of MBTs in favour of wheeled light vehicles appears to be under review given increasing Russian hostility across the world.

Japanese are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Don't they fall back on Godzilla….?

Actually China has already conquered Taiwan through economic interdependence. The Taiwanese economy is now largely dependent on China for success (and vice versa).

And it has been that way for sometime. Many in world especially with a "working" economy find it more are advantageous to do business with one another. Interdependency of Economies IIRC, its was referred to. E.g. the US and China.

Sun Tzu said, The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. Sun Tzu …
The Chinese are certainly students of Sun Tzu. As are many in US leadership positions[but obviously not all] …

Only islamic fanatics or other lunatic fringers see it otherwise … generally today.

In other sources, the Japanese plan to scrap large chunks of MBTs in favour of wheeled light vehicles appears to be under review given increasing Russian hostility across the world.

Japanese are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

That would not be warranted. The Russians [or China or the Norks] won't be invading Japan anytime soon[If ever ?]. And I don't see too many scenarios that would come about where the JSDFs would be deploying anywhere ? Especially with mass amounts of MBTs, IMO …

And regardless, the USN, USAF and local Navies and Air Forces, like the RAN and even the Japanese Navy are not going anywhere. Now if anyone like Un or even the PRC played the Nuc Card. Well then all bets are off.

The GSDF does make a regular overseas deployment of their tank units to Yakima, WA for gunnery training. Not sure how many tank units go at a time, but it's an annual thing for them.

China does have the capability to seize the Senkakus, and some other islands, if desired.

Seems they like little islands, islets, and reefs in far off waters.

The Chinese are hopping mad that their 420+ aircraft sorties in the region have been intercepted by Japanese fighters, who are now locking their radars on to them to send the message they are unwelcome.

The Chinese are calling that dangerous, and "provocative", and yet THEY persist with their intrusive military flights.

Good to know Lion. Of course they are not invading the Pacific NW. They shelved that plan a long time ago …

The Chinese are calling that dangerous, and "provocative", and yet THEY persist with their intrusive military flights.

Just like the Russians … it appears to have increased lately. And I think I feel I know why. But it had been going on with both those "foes" and others[Norks, etc.,] for a very long time. And will most likely continue even after the US leadership changes in the near future.