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Yoshikazu Tsuno / AFP - Getty Images
Incoming Japanese premier Shinzo Abe arrives for a breakfast meeting with Japanese business leaders in Tokyo on Tuesday.
TOKYO - Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe did not sound triumphant even after his party was swept back into power over the weekend.
"This victory doesn't necessarily mean that we have completely recovered everyone's trust,” he said in a speech on Tuesday after his conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) defeated the center-left Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). “I realize we are still being scrutinized by the public and with that sense of urgency, we must push forward and produce results.”
Part of regaining that trust will likely be the new administration's expected overhaul its diplomatic strategy, starting with a revamp of Tokyo’s relationship with Washington. Amid ongoing territorial disputes with Russia, South Korea and China, the incoming prime minister underlined the importance of U.S.-Japanese ties.
Conservatives sweep to power in faltering Japan
"I'm going to seek to strengthen Japan's alliance with the United States, which will ultimately contribute to the peace and stability of Asia,” Abe said, adding that he had already spoken to President Barack Obama and was already making plans to visit Washington in January.
"In terms of our national security, we must restore the bonds found in our U.S-Japan security alliance and based on that, rebuild our diplomatic strength and improve relations with other countries,” he said.
Critics of the DPJ have accused the outgoing party of allowing the key alliance to founder. A low point came after the government promised the people of Okinawa Island, which shoulders most of the United States’ significant military presence in the country, to cancel plans to move a controversial American airbase to a less-densely populated area.
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The Democrats initially insisted on removing the base altogether from Okinawa. Because hopes were raised among the population, and reinforced by local elections that brought lawmakers opposed the U.S’s military presence on the island, it has been nearly impossible to reverse public opinion.
Then, friction with China came to a head in September when Japan nationalized a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea that have been contested by Beijing. Anti-Japanese demonstrations erupted in over 100 Chinese cities as a result of the moves. Meanwhile, Chinese vessels have repeatedly encroached on Japanese territorial waters to stake their claim on the islands.
Indeed, it makes sense that Abe would try to strengthen its ties with the U.S. and bolster Japan’s standing regionally, said Jeff Kingston, a professor at Temple University’s Tokyo campus.
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“I think he believes the DPJ mismanaged the alliance so he wants to go there and face Obama and find a way to strengthen ties,” Kingson said. “(Abe) wants to chat with the United States about the situation with China and exchange opinions about how to proceed."
"Japanese (people) outside of Okinawa want to strengthen ties with the United States because they understand they live in a dangerous neighborhood,” he added.
In another move meant to bolster Japan's standing inside and out of Japan, Abe promised a large-scale supplementary budget to kick-start the country’s anemic economy almost immediately.
The markets responded positively to the news, with shares trading at an eight-month high on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Meanwhile, the Japanese yen weakened internationally -- the country's strong currency has put the country’s export sector at a significant disadvantage internationally.
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Leave a Comment:
Firtst they wanted to kick us out of our military base there...now they are crying for our help!
It's a catch 22 with any military base.
On the one hand the base tends to generate rowdy behavior and sometimes violence that the local population does not want. It is hard to make soldiers or sailors behave themselves after a long deployment. They will want to blow off steam and usually not in socially acceptable ways.
On the the other hand the base generates lots of jobs and revenue for the local economy. Which the local population loves.
It is always a balance of trying to keep the behavior situation in check while making as much money off the base as possible.
mike: So, it makes sense that they want to be friends with Obama. He treats all our allies the same way. Says they're our allies and friends and then scolds them the loudest if they don't do exactly what he wants. The problem the Japanese will find is that they probably think of the US in terms of Reagan and Bush, solid allies. Now, we are mushy allies. But, I guess that is better than going over to the dark side, as we are.
Mike that is what I am thinking, thought they could get cozy with the communist, found out the communist bite and came running back...sorry bring the gold and silver and we will talk....other than that it is just another country wanting country welfare.....sorry we are all out of money....have you read the news....do you know our Govt....????We do not even trust our Govt,,, THE PEOPLE. ... Why should we.
Okinawans want American military bases out. Japanese want the bases in. Okinawa is the kingdom Japan annexed in 1868. The US occupied Okinawa for 27 years before returning it to Japan after Japan allows US military bases and nuclear weapons to station in Okinawa. Today, US bases take 18% of land in Okinawa. 75% of US forces in Japan are based in Okinawa. Young Okinawans speak mostly Japanese today. A very large portion of older Okinawan population don't even understand Japanese. Okinawan culture is different from Japan's. It has both Chinese and Japanese influence with strong local characteristics.
Awesome. I could use better prices on Sony products.
In the last election, they didn't like the U.S. or our military, and they wanted the U.S. military out. Now, they feel threatened, and they want to hang on to the U.S. military.
Genuine allies aren't they?
If you had been in the military you might understand why the local population on Okinawa wanted the base moved.
That does not mean that they didn't want our military presence. They just wanted it where it would be less disruptive to their lives.
Other than that yes, right now they need us. We are the only people in the world that can stand up to China and say no. But in truth even in that we are not as strong as we once were.
Kent - I recall some pretty nasty anti-Americanism. Now they need us. Not the kind of 'friends' we need.
Living by a U.S. military base is like living at the end of a runway at JFK. It is exciting for the first ten minutes, then it becomes damn irritating.
Everyone wants to talk about how strong we once were. It has been a long time since the Unites States has focused on just "one" preceived ememy. And it did not work out for either of them.
At the risk of sounding paranoid, I cannot help but wonder if this change in attitude was sparked by a fear of the power of HAARP. When the Japanese refused to stop importing approximately 18% of all of Iran's oil production and agreed to assist the Chinese with their nuclear power program, both over the protests of the United States, they suddenly are hit by the devastating earthquake and tsunami at the most vulnerable location in their nation. Coincidence?
Yes. Coincidence.
@AG99 (4.1):
Are you familiar with the HAARP technology? If so, your cavalier attitude towards it is disturbing. If not, you should not be commenting.
AG99, I can't believe you even gave this any of your time. LOL, avoid the crack pots dude.
If you think research into using the ionosphere for RF propagation causes earthquakes and tsunamis, you need more tinfoil. Or a few physics courses.
@TFNJ: Anytime you have no pertinent, informed response available you resort to insults. You are worse than a child and your arrogance is only exceeded by your ignorance. And stop voting for your own posts.
@AG99: As usual you are wearing your blinders ... according to your beliefs, anything vaguely out of the mainstream belief system does not exist. There is a plethora of information available questioning the safety and purpose of the HAARP technology. When our military chooses to fund technology such as this it is not exactly a quantum leap to think it may serve some purpose as a weapon.
Physicists as well as scientists from many other disciplines have questioned the safety of this technology. Why you would choose to summarily dismiss any hint of danger created by HAARP is beyond me, other than your desire to not face that which you cannot control and, therefore, fear.
When mainstream scientists began to doubt the safety of the systems, HAARP sharply changed the information on their web site, eliminating such items as the potential for controlling the weather and altering the direction of the jet stream.
If you really want to believe that there is no validity to so-called conspitacy theories, it is your right. However, sticking ones head in the sand to avoid critical thinking and analysis does not make it go away. It merely helps you avoid that which you find too fearful to confront head on.
This is really absurd, first of all questions are just that, questions... they aren't answers, i don't care how many times you ask "does 2+2 really equal 4?" It's never going to turn into evidence that it equals something else even if you invent some profit motive behind concealing it's true answer, nor does the simple mention of vague unnamed "mainstream mathematicians concerned with subject", nor does the suggestion that those who disagree with you are either "scared of the truth" or "ignorant of the truth".
Perhaps this could serve as his next bit of proof..
http://doodiepants.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Ancient-Aliens-Meme-Hair-Guy-017.jpg
I don't know anything about HAARP, D. Appel. However, I do know that increased melting of glaciers and ice caps even while raising sea levels just a couple millimeters a year is enough weight (spread over the globe) to cause earthquakes and displace land beneath the oceans which causes a Tsunami. The same thing that happened to Japan, happened in the Indian Ocean in 2004 and in Chile years later. Are all of those related to HAARP, I doubt it, could this HAARP have negative consequences, as with many of man's creations, yes it probably could. People love to bury their heads in the sand with regards to many different things, climate change is one of them, but the fact that it is happening is very real and very dangerous for the long term stability of the world as we know it.
Apple is right and this lack of transparancy all started when Fredrick D. Rockwell the third was appointed to head the 12th circuit court of appeals. He's widely known as a pro-japanesse and very proactive judge and the fact that he did nothing to stop this shows how close he is to the japaneese business-elite who are trying to sap this countrey of money. not only am i nervous about this news like apple is, i am downright terrified becuase japan is a sinking-ship and will take us down with it withhiout a second-thought becuase of their rampant greed and corrption.
D. Apple,
this has nothing to do with beliefs. Nothing HAARP does can affect what happens here on the ground. At worse it causes a small, very small, amount of destabilization for a short period in the ionosphere. But it is not a weapon.
People like you that spread this stuff around are just feeding out disinformation which in and of itself is more dangerous than any real weapon. Wars have been started by the use of disinformation (that was how Hitler got the Socialists in Germany to join his party, by claiming he was for Socialist rule; it was a lie to get the workers on his side so he could overthrow the Government and set up the purification of Germany).
Come back when you have real, documented, and credible evidence that HAARP can cause earthquakes. Until then Walmart is having a sale on tin foil, you might as well make a run for it because the 21st is on Friday.
@Tony: WOO HAIR GUY!!!! He always has the answers :)
Mitchell
LOL, I copied. But I get a big chuckle out of that.
This research is far more likely to do with communications, something very near and dear to military operations. I would hazard a guess we spend almost as much on secure and timely comm as we do on bombs and bullets.
Since I have a background in both military ops and physics, it's arrogant of you to assume I'm merely too stupid to think clearly about this subject, much less afraid.
Your contention is this technology can somehow influence earthquakes and tsunamis, and that we chose to target Japan with it. I say that's utter nonsense.
I thought haarp was what my wife does all the time! Oh, wait, that's nag. Same thing.
You fruits that think the government uses the ionsphere to alter the weather are just that, fruits. Anybody wanna buy a bridge?
I see no need to maintain an enormous base on Okinawa. Leave the facility intact, preposition some supplies, then come home. If tensions increase we can redeploy, but until then save the expense of stationing so many troops overseas, not to mention appeasing the local Japanese who don't much appreciate having badly-behaved, foreign troops around.
I was at Okinawa for a year. Yeah there are way too many bases there. They can close half of them. They could probably just keep the air base, and everyone else home.
Perhaps, but you also have to consider that this is one of our main military outposts for the Far East. South Korea being the other and apparently we have recently made a deal with the Aussies to put a base up on Australia.
Though it could be argued that we need less of a military presence in the world. But then you get people complaining that we didn't have a platoon of marines just down the street in Benghazi to rush to the ambassadors aid at a moments notice.
It will be difficult for the new leader, because things wil not get better and the people that elected him will be disappointed.Their democracy is like ours -a Bankers Olympus , except that the Japanese care a lot more for their people . No matter who wins in the elections , the policies of fiat money and endless wars continue. Communist China with a balanced budget and a big surplus is becoming a major player in Asia-Japan is becoming less secure. The Japanese hold a lot of our debt which will probably be never paid. A tough spot to be in.
History is interesting .Pror to WW II Japan did not want to get in debt so sanctions were put on them and increased their aggression.The Japanese are amazing. They have few resourses so they must import raw materials, make cars ( for example), ship them to the US and they still beat the US manufacturers who have alll the raw materials,no shipping expences , even government help when they face bankrupcy. Obviously , they must have influence on our politics. Now , it is the same with the Communist Chinese. We import Chinese garlic ( it is almost a joke, except that it is not funny) and are flooded by other products, while our young people lack jobs.The Japanese and the Chinese are buying our governmental bonds. Cuba, Communist as China , does not buy our bonds and we do not see Cuban garlic in our stores. I am a lot more worried about the US than Japan.
Whoever governs Japan will not change the fact Japan is marginalized by the rise of China. Japan has no choice but turn further to US for self preservation.
I like the Japanese, and yeah they fear the Chinese. The Chinese still want revenge for WW2 and the Japanese occupation, and the Chinese Gov't really stirs the pot. As far as the US and Japanese relations, it's still pretty tight, most Japanese are very friendly to Americans. Their culture is an island Imperium just jike Britain. They tend to have a stiff upper lip so to speak. We can maintain good relations as long as both sides work hand in hand. Unlike the Chinese, Japanese tend to want to develop their tech instead of stealing it, not always, but for the most part. Ja ne!
You are correct Crazed. But their dislike goes back much farther than WWII. Yes, the Japanese treated the Chinese badly in WWII, but they did it because of past slights that China had inflicted on Japan. Which I'm sure they did because of things Japan did in its past and so forth and so on.
It is hard to get rid of such long standing disdain for two people.
The US has nothing to lose and plenty to gain with having closer ties with Japan. They have earned our trust much more than China and the Middle East. Japan is an ally that would be good to have in the future.
It is almost 7 decades sine the Pacific War ended, Japan still has not made friends among her Asian neighbors. She gave free money to buy Chinese and Koreans only to find out they refuse to be bought. She has nobody but Americans to turn to. Japanese is the people who either deny the brutality they committed against Chinese and Koreans or believe Chinese and Koreans rightfully deserved it because they are worse than Japanese. It is so common to hear Japanese say, "Why blame us? Chinese and Koreans are worse."
Japan's reconciliation is all but impossible. To Japanese, the heaviest burden of fault is unquestionably on Chinese and Koreans for they fail to agree with Japanese. How could they be reasonable like Japanese? It is impossible because of their innate inferiority to Japanese. Japanese eagerly claim they are the victim of the war because they were nuked. They want sympathy and understanding from her neighbors. It never occurs to them it is Americans who did.
Have you no shame Japanese government? Japan denies denies before Pearl Harbour, from the advanced of Shanghai to Nanking, the Imperial Japanese Army murdered 500,000 civilians and disarmed soldiers. Women, children and even the pregnant were not spared, they were raped and killed, (Youtube : Nanking Documentary 2007). On August 15, 1951 and September 18, 1951, China published statements denouncing the SF Treaty,
stating that it was illegal because China was not invited to participate in the drafting and signing of the 1951
Treaty despite being one of the main victims of the Japanese aggression. The evidence for Chinese sovereignty over the Diaoyu islands are quite compelling. The most interesting evidence is emerging from old Japanese government documents and suggests that Japan in effect stole the islands from China in 1895 as booty of war. Adding to that. The San Francisco Treaty of 1951 says Japan has adminisatration not sovereignty of the islands. So why is the Japanese government being so sneaky nationalizing some of the islands by buying them from a private Japanese owner whom they sold them to in the first place. Very recently, the PM of Japan Shinzo Abe visited the war shrine to honor Class A WWII war criminals. And he said it was ok that Japan colonized Korea, and that the enslavement of Korean women as sex slaves was ok. And he even whitewashed their war crimes in textbooks. Japan committed horrible atrocities. Unlike Germany, they deny what they did and never compensate the victims. Can you imagine Merkel honoring Hitler???
Japan is still bullying. Can you imagine when Al qeada killed 3000 innocence and America stand by and do nothing? Japan alone is a whimp. Shinzo Abe would shamelessly go so far to deny Japan's war crimes during its brutal aggression against China and other Asian neighbors, including its unprecedented military sexual slavery and many of those crimes against humanity -- committed by the militarists under the leadership of the present PM Shinzo Abe his grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, and his granduncle, Eisaku Sato.
So blatantly obvious, Shinzo Abe, his grand father, Nobusuke Kishi, and his granduncle, Eisaku Sato committed Japan's war crimes during its brutal aggression in WWII against China and other Asian neighbors, including its unprecedented military sexual slavery and many of those crimes against humanity. Or else why Shinzo Abe would shamelessly go so far to deny the crime of his own family by rallying his people in denial and even change their history text books and now even try the media and the world. But I guess he did not expect social media to be so prominent to shine the light on the facts.