On Mon, 22 Dec 2003 22:44:34 +0900, Eric Takabayashi  ...
>
>The 2-Belo wrote:
>
>> I wonder why no one ever considers what the US would
>> think of Japan repealing
>> Article IX completely.
>
>I have encouraged it for years. They should take
>responsibility for their own country and its defense if
>necessary.


They can't, the reality of the Pacific still holds. Japan could effectively
(sort of) defend it's territory from attack as at the end of that war. But
consider an oil tanker travelling from Kuwait to Japan. Every tin pot country
with a 50 cal machine gun strapped to a row boat could interfere with Japans
main engergy import and what could Japan do about it? Japan would have to have a
navy rivalling the USN with an aircraft carrier on station near the Gulf, one in
the Indian Ocean and one in the Pacific, a requirement of 6 carrriers. They
wouldn't have to be as big as the US carriers, but at least big enough to cause
a serious stink, perhaps as few a 20 combat aircraft would be enough.



.

----
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