Generational Dynamics World View

[John J. Xenakis]

*** 14-Mar-17 World View -- Japan's largest warship will train with US Navy in the South China Sea

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

• Japan's largest warship will train with US Navy in the South China Sea
  
• A sad picture
  

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**** Japan's largest warship will train with US Navy in the South China Sea
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China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi at a recent meeting (AP)

In what some are describing as a "World War II show of force," Japan
is planning to send its largest warship, the JS Izumo, to the South
China Sea during the summer. It will train with the US Navy in the
South China Sea, will make stops in Singapore, Indonesia, the
Philippines and Sri Lanka, and will join Indian and U.S. naval forces
in the Indian Ocean for military exercises in July.

The JS Izumo is not a traditional aircraft carrier, but is called a
"helicopter destroyer." It can carry up to fourteen helicopters, and
specializes primarily in anti-submarine missions. The threat of an
expanded Chinese submarine fleet was a key driver of Japan developing
the Izumo.

The word "destroyer" usually refers to a warship equipped to serve in
a defensive rather than an offensive role. This is necessary because
Japan's post-war pacifist constitution forbids acquisition of
offensive weapons, and forbids military action except in self-defense
on Japanese soil. Japan's prime minister Shinzo Abe has been
campaigning for years to amend the constitution to permit offensive
operations, but the proposal has been extremely controversial.
Instead, Abe has succeeded in redefining "self-defense" to mean
"collective self-defense," which allows Japanese to defend Japan's
allies anywhere in the world. The "helicopter destroyer" designation
is consistent with the warship's use for collective self-defense.

China has repeatedly objected to Japan operating warships in the South
China Sea. Referring to World War II, China's foreign ministry
spokesman said last year:

<blockquote">Japan should reflect upon rather than forget what it
has done during the aggression, act and speak cautiously on issues
concerning the East China Sea and the South China Sea, and make
more efforts to increase mutual trust with its neighbors and
promote regional peace and stability instead of sowing
discord."<END QUOTE>[/i][/indent]

In fact, naming the warship "Izumo" is highly symbolic, as it's the
name of a Japanese World War II warship which was originally used in a
decisive Japanese victory in the 1905 Battle of Tsushima in a war
between Russia and Japan. US Naval Institute and Reuters

Related Articles

• Japan debates 'collective self-defense' to protect America and Japan (05-May-2014)
  
  
• China reacts harshly to Japan's plans for 'collective self-defense' (18-Jul-2015)
  
  
• Japan's troops in South Sudan become first test of new 'collective self-defense' policy (19-Nov-2016)
  

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**** A sad picture
****

There's so much sadness in the world, in all the subjects that I write
about. I can usually get through it by pretending that it's all
happening on another planet, but this picture in Syria really got to
me:




What a sad picture. As one person pointed out, it looks like one of
those dystopian movies from the 70s and 80s. Al-Jazeera

KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Japan, JS Izumo, Shinzo Abe

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John J. Xenakis
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