newsLast night I read a very interesting Japan Times article. As mentioned my previous post, teh US is currently 'realigning' its forces in Japan. A result of this is that a number of them are moving to Guam. Turns out that they have offered the Japanese Self-Defence Force (SDF) a number of facilities for training purposes.
Big deal, you might say. However, looking at the issue shows that it could be a very big deal. This would be Japan's first post-war overseas base. Coming at a time when Japanese relations with its neighbours are rocky, we can surely expect this to be seen as further remilitarisation. Previously, China (I'll focus on China) was content for Japan to play a role in regional security so long as it was in the confines of the US-Japan Security Alliance.
For those new to this area, let me just explain this point. Following World War Two, Japan's new constitution (pretty much imposed by US occupying forces under MacArthur) was given a clause marked Article 9: Japan renounces the use of forces as a legitimate tool of international relations, and renounces the right to have military forces. However, this was going to make security difficult. Eventually the SDF would be born, allowed to form because they are reactionary and limited in nature (still are some 50 years on). More importantly, Prime Minister Yoshida sought to secure Japan so that it could grow economically (a simplification of the Yoshida Doctrine). Under this spirit, the US-Japan Mutual Security Treaty was signed which allowed US forces to be stationed in country, who would also provide security (along with the SDF).
However, since that time, the US has pushed Japan to develop a number of capabilities to increase burden-sharing and to 'normalise' it (assuming being 'normal' is having a military force and the capacity to use it as Clausewitz would dictate: as a continuation of policy). The US pushed to develop MSDF (Maritime SDF... the naval force) Anti-Submarine Warfare capabilities. The importance of this is apparent in the Cold War context: Russian submarines needed to pass by Japan on the way out of Vladivostok. The MSDF is now quite preeminent in this area. Another example is that of the Gulf War (1990-91). Japan was pressed to provide military forces by the US, but Japan obviously couldn't do such a thing given its constitutional and institutional restrictions. However, Japan did underwrite a major part of the war effort and sent in minesweepers after the fight (the latter being a rather token gesture). Japan received no credit for its financial contribution, a fact that irks a number of politicians to this day.
My point is, Japan is being pushed by the US to act under its hegemonic wing. There has often been a fear of 'entrapment' within the alliance, and a number of commentators are now suggesting it is getting worse (Christopher Hughes, for instance). In this day, the US has dangled a very desirable offer to the Japanese... but can the Japanese really accept it? Perhaps more importantly, should the Japanese accept it? The US appears to be the only power looking to remilitarise Japan, albeit as a force capable operating in US alliance alone (as the US has previously (still?) desires of the UK). It would be beneficial... Japanese military force is really quite incredible (I suggest people look up Lind's 'Pacifism or Passing the Buck?' and Tripp's 'Japan's Regional Command of the Commons') and they are good at naval operations. Specialising them in the context of US operations would free up USN forces. Furthermore, the target of such a future is obvious: rising China.
Should Japan accept this offer, its critics will have further fodder to beat their neighbour with. Were it another country in another situation, it would be an insignificant issue. With Japan's current problems, it could turn into something larger.
