Rising Sun – Sol levante
Linea WSJ (editoriale):
pro linea Bush-Koizumi di più stretta alleanza militare USA-JAP,
soprattutto in funzione di contenimento della Cina.
- Mentre Clinton aveva saltato il Jap nel suo viaggio in Cina, Bush passa
prima in Jap, col quale è in via di ridefinizione l’alleanza militare. -
Koizumi:
Jap come “paese normale”, ossia potenza militare a pieno titolo (truppe
in Irak, navi in Oceano indiano a supporto di intervento in
Afghanistan). -
Nel rapporto con USA,
questo significa ruolo più attivo del Jap nell’alleanza militare.
Parallelamente, riduzione numero truppe USA in Jap (Okinawa, residuo
dell’occupazione postbellica, riduzione da 37 a 30 mila, 7 mila
trasferiti a Guam). - Aumento
cooperazione militare USA-JAP nella difesa aerea, nella “interdizione
marittima” e difesa missilistica, più addestramenti congiunti e
interoperabilità delle forze. - Il comando delle forze aeree Jap si trasferirà nella base aerea di Yokota, presso la base della V Flotta Aerea USA.
-
Un centro di comando dell’Esercito USA si trasferirà dallo Stato di
Washington al Jap, dove coabiterà con le forze di terra Jap. -
USA installeranno in Jap un radar a banda X per il tracciamento di
missili balistici e fornirà sistemi anti-missili PAC-3 e SM-3. -
Tali accordi sono parte di più generale ridispiegamento forze USA, con
ritiro di 12.500 uomini da Sud Corea, ritiro due divisioni da Germania,
nuova presenza in Est EU e Asia Centrale, rafforzamento della presenza
nell’Asia-Pacifico. - Bush dovrebbe
fare il discorso pro-democratizzazione della Cina da Tokyo, per far
intendere che se Cina scegliesse un corso non Pacifico, USA ha Jap
alleato…
Nota. Il
ritiro di truppe da Jap e Corea viene qui presentato come risultato
della maggiore capacità di difesa di questi Stati. Il che è vero. Ma
viene sottaciuto il fatto che sia Jap che Corea hanno richiesto queste
riduzioni, anche per forti spinte nazionaliste (e antiamericane)
interne. Idem per la Germania.
Queste
potenze stanno quindi riequilibrando il loro rapporto con gli USA, da
potenze occupate e/o vassalle ad alleati con crescenti capacità
militari (che non è detto saranno sempre necessariamente schierate con
USA. Vedi linea gov. Corea, Schroeder, e Partito Democratico Jap).
November 16, 2005; Page A18
We went to press in New
York last night about the time President Bush was setting out for a
peek at the picturesque Temple of the Golden Pavilion in Japan’s
ancient capital of Kyoto, just before he had a chance to deliver a
speech hailed as the cornerstone address of his Asian trip.
York last night about the time President Bush was setting out for a
peek at the picturesque Temple of the Golden Pavilion in Japan’s
ancient capital of Kyoto, just before he had a chance to deliver a
speech hailed as the cornerstone address of his Asian trip.
Advance
news reports said Mr. Bush planned to use this speech to urge China to
grant more freedoms to its 1.3 billion people. With the possible
exception of Taiwan, there is no better location than Japan for a U.S.
President to give his thoughts on the subject of Asian democracy. The
region’s biggest economy is also its strongest democracy. With the
encouragement of the Bush Administration, Japan is now beginning to
play a bigger role in regional security.
news reports said Mr. Bush planned to use this speech to urge China to
grant more freedoms to its 1.3 billion people. With the possible
exception of Taiwan, there is no better location than Japan for a U.S.
President to give his thoughts on the subject of Asian democracy. The
region’s biggest economy is also its strongest democracy. With the
encouragement of the Bush Administration, Japan is now beginning to
play a bigger role in regional security.
For all the
current focus on the Middle East, East Asia remains a dangerous
neighborhood — home to North Korean nut case Kim Jong Il, the volatile
Taiwan problem, and the rising military power of communist China. Strengthening the already close U.S.-Japan alliance is one of the Bush Administration’s top strategic objectives.
current focus on the Middle East, East Asia remains a dangerous
neighborhood — home to North Korean nut case Kim Jong Il, the volatile
Taiwan problem, and the rising military power of communist China. Strengthening the already close U.S.-Japan alliance is one of the Bush Administration’s top strategic objectives.
This
is all the more important since Washington has sometimes given short
shrift to the special relationship with Japan. Mr. Bush’s predecessor
didn’t even bother to stop in Tokyo on his way to woo China’s top
leaders. At the least, the President’s visit puts Beijing on notice that the U.S. has close friends in the region.
It’s also a recognition of Japan’s new assertiveness. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, whom Mr. Bush counts as a "close friend," Japan aims to become what it calls a "normal" nation. That
means both accepting more responsibility for its own national defense
and playing a greater role in international security affairs. Tokyo’s
deployment of non-combat troops to Iraq and supply ships to the Indian
Ocean near Afghanistan are two examples of its new attitude.
means both accepting more responsibility for its own national defense
and playing a greater role in international security affairs. Tokyo’s
deployment of non-combat troops to Iraq and supply ships to the Indian
Ocean near Afghanistan are two examples of its new attitude.
Two and a half weeks ago, in advance of Mr. Bush’s trip, the two countries issued a report agreeing to greatly expand military ties. Close defense cooperation, the report said, "is essential to dissuade destabilizing military buildups, to deter aggression and to respond to diverse security challenges." Beijing, are you listening?
It
is the biggest overhaul of the U.S.-Japan defense alliance in decades.
About 7,000 Marines will be transferred from Okinawa to Guam, in part to assuage local sensitivities on the Japanese island, but also because the new high-tech military means
a U.S. force of 37,000 is no longer necessary to defend Japan. This is
the same logic by which the U.S. is withdrawing 12,500 troops from
South Korea and shutting down a military base in what is now the middle
of downtown Seoul.
is the biggest overhaul of the U.S.-Japan defense alliance in decades.
About 7,000 Marines will be transferred from Okinawa to Guam, in part to assuage local sensitivities on the Japanese island, but also because the new high-tech military means
a U.S. force of 37,000 is no longer necessary to defend Japan. This is
the same logic by which the U.S. is withdrawing 12,500 troops from
South Korea and shutting down a military base in what is now the middle
of downtown Seoul.
The plan also calls for increased
cooperation in air defense, maritime interdiction and missile defense,
more joint training, and greater inter-operability of forces. Japan’s Air Defense command will move to Yokota Air Base near Tokyo, home of the U.S. Fifth Air Force. A
U.S. Army command center, currently at Fort Lewis in Washington state,
will be transferred to Japan, where it will share a base with Japanese
ground forces. The U.S. will deploy an X-band radar, for
tracking ballistic missiles, to Japan, which will also get Patriot
PAC-3 and SM-3 missile defenses.
cooperation in air defense, maritime interdiction and missile defense,
more joint training, and greater inter-operability of forces. Japan’s Air Defense command will move to Yokota Air Base near Tokyo, home of the U.S. Fifth Air Force. A
U.S. Army command center, currently at Fort Lewis in Washington state,
will be transferred to Japan, where it will share a base with Japanese
ground forces. The U.S. will deploy an X-band radar, for
tracking ballistic missiles, to Japan, which will also get Patriot
PAC-3 and SM-3 missile defenses.
There’s a bigger picture here too. The realignment of the U.S.-Japan military relationship is part of the overall Bush plan for the re-deployment of U.S. forces world-wide so
they are better able to address the 21st-century threats of global
terrorism, rogue nations and the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction. That’s also the reason two Army divisions are leaving
Germany and the U.S. now has a military presence in Eastern Europe and
Central Asia. A stronger defense capability in the Pacific is part of
the strategy.
they are better able to address the 21st-century threats of global
terrorism, rogue nations and the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction. That’s also the reason two Army divisions are leaving
Germany and the U.S. now has a military presence in Eastern Europe and
Central Asia. A stronger defense capability in the Pacific is part of
the strategy.
Mr. Bush goes next to South Korea
and then on to Beijing over the weekend. His administration has
encouraged China’s rise along a peaceful and responsible path. If,
however, Beijing chooses another course, the enhanced U.S. military
relationship with Japan is a way of hedging that bet.
and then on to Beijing over the weekend. His administration has
encouraged China’s rise along a peaceful and responsible path. If,
however, Beijing chooses another course, the enhanced U.S. military
relationship with Japan is a way of hedging that bet.