Could japan be a major military power?

[long live usa]

with the current restrictions that are being placed on japans military, its growth is limited, what if these restrictions were lifted? they already have the 3rd largest navy and thier expresing intrest in buying f/22 raptors in adition to the 2nd largest economy,do you guys think that if the restrictions were lifted they could become a major globa military power?

 

[Big-E]

with the current restrictions that are being placed on japans military, its growth is limited, what if these restrictions were lifted? they already have the 3rd largest navy and thier expresing intrest in buying f/22 raptors in adition to the 2nd largest economy,do you guys think that if the restrictions were lifted they could become a major globa military power?

I think this one is a no brainer. . . Japan already has the 2nd highest defense spending. They have one of the best technology sectors in the world along with manufacturing capability to build anything they want.

 

[norinco89]

Technically the European Union is the second economic power. When only comparing one country the People's Republic of China is already second with 8.6 trillion dollar GDP.

It cant obtain or develop nuclear, bio, chem, long range missile, or any offensive weapons. It can be a regional super power but it will reach its full potential

China is catching up in the naval catagory. In a few years they will be equal if Japan does not increase spending

F-22s? i dont know. Its a bit pricey and i think japan is already stuck wit the F-2

 

[Cootamundra]

Technically the European Union is the second economic power. When only comparing one country the People's Republic of China is already second with 8.6 trillion dollar GDP.

It cant obtain or develop nuclear, bio, chem, long range missile, or any offensive weapons. It can be a regional super power but it will reach its full potential

China is catching up in the naval catagory. In a few years they will be equal if Japan does not increase spending

F-22s? i dont know. Its a bit pricey and i think japan is already stuck wit the F-2

All due respect but I 100% disagree with your analysis! Sure China may now be ranked as second to the US (if you don't include the EU) econmically but Japan has a huge industrial and technological base that the Chinese do not yet have. I'm talking about complex industrial manufacturing. The Japanese could build an atomic weapon and delivery platform in 6 months. Japan could build long-range strike missiles without any problems and in fact Japan is well underway with regards to developing BMD capabilities (in conjunction with the US). The Japanese navy is very well armed and competent. Japan could easily become a a global military superpower if it wished.

 

[Big-E]

Technically the European Union is the second economic power. When only comparing one country the People's Republic of China is already second with 8.6 trillion dollar GDP.

It cant obtain or develop nuclear, bio, chem, long range missile, or any offensive weapons. It can be a regional super power but it will reach its full potential

China is catching up in the naval catagory. In a few years they will be equal if Japan does not increase spending

F-22s? i dont know. Its a bit pricey and i think japan is already stuck wit the F-2

The EU is not a unified military structure so I don't see how you can make this comparison. PLA on the other is definetly something to watch.

If Japan wanted they could easily become a 2 tier power. . . why. . . b/c they have the money and the tech.

 

[long live usa]

I think this one is a no brainer. . . Japan already has the 2nd highest defense spending. They have one of the best technology sectors in the world along with manufacturing capability to build anything they want.

auh....so do you think if japan was confident enough that it could atempt to drive the American military precence out not by taking action but just telling us flat out to leave:hitwall

 

[Aussie Digger]

This is a ridiculous thread, IMHO. Look at Japan's economy. Look at their population base. Look at their technical capacity. They already operate one of the most powerful and competent military forces in the pacific, without devoting (by their standards) significant effort towards it. If they wanted, they WOULd be THE superpower of the Asia-Pacific region. Period.

 

[long live usa]

This is a ridiculous thread, IMHO. Look at Japan's economy. Look at their population base. Look at their technical capacity. They already operate one of the most powerful and competent military forces in the pacific, without devoting (by their standards) significant effort towards it. If they wanted, they WOULd be THE superpower of the Asia-Pacific region. Period.

thats not what im trying to say im thinking if there growth would be as rapid as the PLA and if they would ever tell American forces to leave and the consequences would be

 

[Big-E]

auh....so do you think if japan was confident enough that it could atempt to drive the American military precence out not by taking action but just telling us flat out to leave:hitwall

You were the one who said "what if the restrictions were lifted" Why are you going to knock me when you asked the hypothetical question? Its pretty clear if they were lifted the US would be giving Japan a greater role in her defense and would have already withdrawn. So we are already past the why, so you tell me why the restrictions were lifted??? You asked.

 

[DarthAmerica]

The simple answer is yes. To achieve that status you must have the ability to project power globally in support of your interest independently. Japan certainy has the military history, technology and money to do that if it wanted to within 6 to 60 months. They could concievably do this now to a limited extent.

 

[Snayke]

norinco89 - We are assuming restrictions were lifted. Even with restrictions, they are a defence force to be reckoned with. Also, the EU is a group of nations, not an economy nor is it a unified military force, as someone already mentioned.

Simply put, yes, Japan would be a major military force if allowed to or if it had the want to do so.

 

[kmaster_bhr]

I agree, Japan is a force to be reckoned with. It has the technology, the industrial base and a well trained armed force. I do believe that at some point they will look to acquire aircraft to replace their F-15s, possbily the F-22 program or the F-35.
Japan will not be in a position to ask the US to leave it shores. The US on the ohter hand may opt to reduce its presence there. However, with talk of a joint n=missile defense program this may not be in the immediate future.
The EU is a an economic community, as well as a group of nations. It will always be divided militarily because of the French/Benulux faction, the UK and NATO.

 

[zoolander]

Still after the USA and the EU, China not Japan have the biggest GPD. The restrictions will be cept. Japan is most likely going to recheive F-35s not F-22s. It has no nuclear detergence nor nuclear powers. They have the tech but not the weapons. As well as no nukes, they have no pure offensive weapons. They are a capable force to be reconed but will never be a dominent force it was in WWII.

China will in a decade or two surpass Japan. No longer will Japan the dominent Easter Asain power by the fact that they have the money and no retrictions on offensive weapons.

 

[Snayke]

The EU trade with each other, which doesn't mean much. The US trades with most probably every nation in the world, does that mean that every nation is part of the US economy?

Yes, they are a trading bloc, but with internal economic activities, they do their own thing. Simply put, they help each other in the international sector of an economy which is imports/exports. They don't impose their own laws and regulations on other economies. France's new youth laws do not apply in other EU countries.

Sure, I can recognise it as an economic power, but not as an actual economy from what I know of it.

 

[long live usa]

The EU trade with each other, which doesn't mean much. The US trades with most probably every nation in the world, does that mean that every nation is part of the US economy?

Yes, they are a trading bloc, but with internal economic activities, they do their own thing. Simply put, they help each other in the international sector of an economy which is imports/exports. They don't impose their own laws and regulations on other economies. France's new youth laws do not apply in other EU countries.

Sure, I can recognise it as an economic power, but not as an actual economy from what I know of it.

please guys lets try not to get to political on this

 

[norinco89]

I can tell you guys this.... The outcome of the japanese military will be determined by our government. If the USA wants it to become powerful it can always lift the offensive weapons rule and sell high tech weapons

 

[Big-E]

please guys lets try not to get to political on this

I think his statement is more about economics than politics.

 

[Snayke]

Yes, it had no political aspect to it. Just pure economics.

 

[coolieno99]

Japan's military activities should be closely monitor. If unbridled, Japan can achieve military parity with the U.S. Japan has about 50 civilian nuclear reactors. It is projected that Japan should produced about 45 tons of plutonium(extracted from nuclear reactor waste) by the year 2010. Japan recently completed building one of the world's largest plutonium reprocessing plant. It only takes about 13 lb of plutonium to make a nuclear bomb.

Japan's M-5 solid-fueled space launch vehicle is even bigger than the U.S. Peacekeeper ICBM(now decommissioned) by about 40 tons. Probably making it the largest solid-fueled rocket in the world(Russia's Topol or China's DF-31A are even smaller than the Peacekeeper)

 

[thegoldenhorde]

It would not be in the US's interest to remove the restrictions on Japan and to allow it to develop in to the major military player in the Pacific. The US would lose a valueable ally. Japan would become its competitor.