Japan is rearming itself for the first time since WWII in response to China’s increasing expansionism, and with tensions on the rise in the Pacific, the U.S. could be forced into war. After Japan was defeated in World War II, the country was forced to disarm and swear off military capability ever again. Over time, that pacifism became part of the Japanese psyche, but nationalism is on the rise around the world and Japan has not been immune from the political tide.
China’s increasing expansionism, especially in the disputed islands in the East China Sea, and the looming nuclear threat from North Korea have revived decades old rivalries between the Asian superpowers.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his backers are re-thinking the country’s previously peaceful stance, and moving to restore Japan’s military might. And if local hostilities did boil into conflict, the U.S. is expected to play a very specific role.
”Japan fully depends on the strategic deterrence and strike capabilities of the United States if China really goes for military action,” Retired Admiral Yoji Kada, who was once the commander in chief of Japan’s self-defense fleet told VICE News. “The cost they are going to pay is very bloody, they know that”
"Been A Long Journey For You, Hasn't It? Lot Of Running, Lot Of Pain. And You, You're A Flea On The Back Of A Dragon In For One Hell Of A Ride, But You Did Manage To Hang On. I Guess That Counts For Something."