Yahoo News Japan has an article that talks about recent developments in Japan's military. The acquisition of amphibious vehicles (the AAV7), buying Osprey helicopters, and modifying the Osumi-class LPDs to operate these new additions. Plus adding command post capabilities to JS Izumo (an LHA that will be replacing one of the older DDHs).
All these are not cheap. Yet Japan continues to spend heavily on defence even though its public debt is now twice it's annual GDP. And this is at a time in which the aging population requires more money in healthcare.
At the rate things are going, China's threat to Japan will bankrupt Japan. There is no need for any Chinese troops to land on Japanese soil; just the threat of doing so will eventually destroy Japan. We have seen how the arms race between the US and Soviet Union during the Cold War eventually resulted in the collapse of the Soviet Union. Japan would do well to remember this lesson from history and think about other ways to counter what it perceives as the Chinese threat, instead of heading down the path towards bankruptcy.
All these are not cheap. Yet Japan continues to spend heavily on defence even though its public debt is now twice it's annual GDP. And this is at a time in which the aging population requires more money in healthcare.
At the rate things are going, China's threat to Japan will bankrupt Japan. There is no need for any Chinese troops to land on Japanese soil; just the threat of doing so will eventually destroy Japan. We have seen how the arms race between the US and Soviet Union during the Cold War eventually resulted in the collapse of the Soviet Union. Japan would do well to remember this lesson from history and think about other ways to counter what it perceives as the Chinese threat, instead of heading down the path towards bankruptcy.
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