Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said she does not rule out the possibility of the country's self-defense forces carrying out strikes "on enemy bases." The reason for this was another launch of North Korean missiles towards the Japanese Islands. Thus, Tokyo demonstrates its intention to abandon the restrictions in the military sphere that it assumed after World War II.
Japan is building up its military power
To understand the truly revolutionary essence of the statement of the Japanese Minister of Defense, it is necessary to turn to the constitution of the Land of the Rising Sun. Chapter two, “Refusal from War,” contains only one article 9, which reads: “...the Japanese people eternal times renounces war as the sovereign right of the nation, as well as from the threat or use of armed force as a means of resolving international disputes. To achieve the goal indicated in the previous paragraph, land, sea and air forces, as well as other means of war, will never again be created. The right of a state to wage war is not recognized".
How a complete renunciation of a nation’s right to wage war and the intention to strike foreign territory is combined is a mystery. The correct answer would be: “No way!” That is, in order to deliver such blows, Japan must first repeal Chapter Two of its basic law.
Well, perhaps it will come to that.
It must be said that Tokyo has long been pursuing a peculiar policy of “bypassing” constitutional restrictions on military activity. Take, for example, ground, sea and air forces, which “will never be created again.” In reality, Japan has it all. Only it is not called “army”, but “self-defense forces”. They appeared in 1954, after the Korean War (yes, in the same Korea!).
Currently, the “self-defense forces” rank sixth in power in the world and second in the region (after the Chinese army). They have the most modern weapons and equipment on land, at sea and in the air.
In 1987, the Japanese government abandoned restrictions on the size of the military budget, which until that time should not exceed one percent of the country's GDP. This year, Japan will allocate a record amount of $43.66 billion to the needs of its army.
In 2004, Japanese troops were sent to Iraq, where they, however, did not take part in hostilities. However, this was the first of the foreign missions without UN sanction.
In September 2015, a truly epoch-making event took place. The upper house of the Japanese Diet has authorized the use of "self-defense forces" outside the Japanese state. This effectively annulled Japan's 70-year non-military, neutral status. It is noteworthy that the initiator of this decision was Shinzo Abe, who is now the head of the government.
From this moment on, Japan received the legal opportunity to provide military-technical assistance to the Republic of Korea in the event of an attack from the DPRK, to shoot down North Korean missiles that are aimed at the United States (before the law was passed, the Japanese missile defense system could shoot down missiles only if they were aimed at Japan), participate in operations to free hostages - Japanese citizens outside the country, provide and enjoy unlimited military support from the United States and other allies, and conduct military operations to protect sea routes of communication.
Now, as far as one can judge from Ms. Inada’s words, the “self-defense forces” should receive the right to strike “enemy bases” based on Tokyo’s independent decision. To be fair, we note that we are not yet talking about preventive strikes. The head of the Ministry of Defense emphasized that the issue of providing self-defense forces with the ability to strike enemy bases before a missile launch is carried out is not being considered. But this is apparently a matter of time.
So, Japan is preparing to lift the restrictions that “in perpetuity” require it to renounce the right to wage war.
Of course, this would not have happened without North Korean missiles. So Comrade Kim skillfully played along with his “opponents.” There is also no doubt that he himself was not without satisfaction when he heard about Tokyo’s decision, because it gives him the same right to build up his own potential.
In the same way, there is no doubt about how Japan’s actions will be met in China: Beijing will probably react extremely sharply and respond by building up its potential. Everyone already knows about the actions of the United States and South Korea (intensified maneuvers, deployment of a missile defense system).
In short, a local arms race is beginning in Northeast Asia. This means that Russia should take the problems of ensuring its security here very seriously and responsibly. We know firsthand what the Japanese army is and what destructive potential the conflicts that have been smoldering here since the war have.
The world-historical victory of the Soviet people and their Armed Forces in the Great Patriotic War, won 30 years ago over Hitler's Germany and its satellites in Europe, also predetermined the collapse of militaristic Japan - the strike force of world imperialism in Asia. Having launched a war against Great Britain in the Pacific Theater at the end of 1941, she proceeded from the inevitability of the defeat of the Soviet Union in the confrontation with its fascist allies in the West.
However, it miscalculated and was forced to unconditionally capitulate after the USSR, faithful to its allied obligations, began military operations in the Far East on August 9, 1945 and in a short time decisively defeated the almost million-strong Japanese Kwantung Army in Manchuria, large groupings of troops in Korea, . Sakhalin and Kuril Islands.
The victorious offensive actions of the Soviet Army and Navy in the Far East accelerated the end of the Second World War and created favorable conditions for intensifying revolutionary and national liberation processes in the countries of the East. The USSR played a huge role in the liberation of the peoples of Korea, China, Vietnam and other countries of the Far East and Southeast Asia from enslavement and oppression by the Japanese military. The progressive forces of Japan also received the opportunity to strengthen the struggle against militarism and for the democratization of the country's social and political life.
As a result of the surrender of imperialist Japan, the imperial army and navy were disbanded, military organizations and institutions were abolished, the main war criminals were convicted and punished, and some measures were taken to eliminate the material and technical basis of militarism. In 1947, the current constitution adopted by the Japanese Diet came into force, according to which (Article Nine) “Japan forever renounced war as a means of resolving international disputes” and agreed “never to create land, sea and air forces, like other means of war."
However, the United States of America, which occupied the territory of Japan, was not interested in demilitarizing this country, but in turning it into its advanced strategic bridgehead in the Pacific Ocean, into a strong but obedient ally in pursuing an aggressive policy of “containing communism in Asia.” With the full assistance of the United States, contrary to international agreements and the national constitution, the Japanese ruling circles revived the armed forces and military-economic potential, turning Japan into the main military-political ally of American imperialism in the Far East.
The main activities to revive the Japanese armed forces were carried out from 1950 to 1954. This was the period when the United States was waging war against the DPRK. The American command, having transferred most of the occupation troops from Japan to Korea, turned the Japanese islands into the rear zone of the active army.
In turn, the Japanese authorities, confused by the instability of the internal political situation and the growth of mass protests by workers against the war and the reactionary course of the government, needed to intensify military and police repression against the people. At the same time, the country's militaristic and revanchist forces did not give up on the idea of restoring Japan's dominance in the Far East. Therefore, the revival of the Japanese armed forces corresponded to the mutual plans of the American and Japanese imperialists.
In July - August 1950, the so-called “reserve police corps” numbering 75 thousand people was created, and already in 1954 the armed forces were formed in full force, which were called and are still called “self-defense forces” in order to disguise them political essence. By the end of 1954, the number of personnel of the “self-defense forces” reached 146,000 people. They had one army, six infantry divisions, more than 200 aircraft for various purposes, a significant number of destroyers, minesweepers and other warships with a total displacement of 72,000 tons.
All weapons, military equipment and necessary equipment were provided by the Americans mostly free of charge under the military “assistance” program. From 1950 to 1961 alone, the United States supplied Japan with 1,000 tanks, 217 aircraft, more than 140 ships, and 147,000 tons of ammunition. The total amount of American military “aid” to Japan for the period from 1950 to 1972 amounted to about 700 billion yen.
At the same time, the Japanese government, in order to accelerate the growth of national military power and gradually weaken its dependence on the United States, began to increasingly generously finance the construction of the armed forces from its own budget. If in 1954 Japan's military allocations did not exceed 135 billion yen, then in the 1975/76 fiscal year (starting on April 1) they are scheduled to increase to 1,327.3 billion yen, not counting 504.9 billion yen requested for financing military projects under long-term programs. Compared to the 1974/75 fiscal year, military spending will increase by approximately 21%. About 7% of the state budget is spent annually on the maintenance of Japan's armed forces. In absolute terms of military expenditures, Japan ranks sixth among capitalist countries.
The construction of the armed forces is carried out on the basis of current (annual) and long-term (long-term) plans. The first long-term plan was implemented in 1958-1960. Its main goal was to strengthen all types of armed forces organizationally, logistically, increase their numerical strength and combat strength, and expand research and development work to create domestic models of weapons and military equipment.
During the implementation of the second plan (1962 - 1966), the reorganization of the ground forces was completed, the degree of their motorization was increased due to the wider use of tanks, armored personnel carriers and vehicles, the combat capabilities of the Navy in conducting anti-submarine operations and the Air Force in the field of air defense were expanded, and the beginning of equipment was laid troops with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles. The scale-up of military production and research and development in the field of weapons also continued. At this time, Japan for the first time made it clear that it was striving to create armed forces that would be an instrument of the “policy of deterrence of aggression” (read: “policy from a position of strength”) and would be capable of independently solving combat missions in local wars using conventional means defeats.
In the third military development plan (1967 - 1971), a shift was made towards further qualitative restructuring of the “self-defense forces”, the deployment of new missile units, increasing the combat training of troops, and extensive modernization of weapons based on their own production.
Currently, the fourth military development plan (1972 - 1976) is in the process of implementation. This plan, in accordance with the adopted strategic concept of “independent defense” (“jishu boei”), provides for the continuation of a qualitative restructuring of all levels of the military structure. Particular importance is attached to updating weapons and military equipment, increasing the mobility of ground forces, organizing effective interaction between types of armed forces, improving control systems, communications and logistics support, increasing the level of combat training and indoctrination of personnel, taking into account the achievement of scientific and technological progress and the requirements of modern combined arms combat. It is planned to further increase the number of troops and increase efforts in the field of design and production of our own weapons.
By the beginning of 1975, the number of armed forces (regular) was 266 thousand military personnel, about 28 thousand civilian personnel and 39 thousand people in the permanent reserve. The recruitment of the armed forces is carried out on the basis of the recruitment of volunteers, which, given the high population of the country (more than 110 million people) and the relative smallness of the armed forces, makes it possible to select well-trained contingents of young people for military service. The annual call for volunteers ranges from 28 thousand to 34 thousand people.
The main components of the “self-defense forces” are the ground forces, the air force and the navy, the military construction department, the arms procurement department, the scientific research and technical center, the defense research institute, and the defense academy. Overall leadership of the armed forces is exercised by the Directorate of National Defense through the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Commanders of the Army, Air Force and Navy. The Office of National Defense is actually the Ministry of War, its chief having the rank of Minister of State (Fig. 1).
Rice. 1 Organization of control of the Japanese armed forces
Japanese Ground Forces
The Japanese ground forces are the largest branch of the armed forces (180 thousand people). Their combat composition includes five armies, 12 infantry and one mechanized division, several brigades (in particular, airborne, mixed, tank, artillery, anti-aircraft missile, engineering, communications, helicopter, four training), combat and logistics units provision.The Army is the highest operational force. Depending on the combat mission, as the foreign press reports, it may include two to four divisions, several brigades (airborne, mixed, tank, artillery, anti-aircraft missile, engineering and training), a communications group, an army detachment aviation, special service units and units. The armies are not numbered, but have their own names, which correspond to the areas of their deployment: The Northern Army is deployed on the island. Hokkaido (headquarters in Sapporo), Northeast - in the northeastern part of the island. Honshu (headquarters in Sendai), Eastern - in the eastern part of the island. Honshu (headquarters in Tokyo), Central - in the central part of the island. Honshu (headquarters in Itami), Western - on the island. Kyushu (headquarters in Kumamoto).
The division is the main tactical unit of the ground forces. There are divisions of type "L" and "B". Organizationally, a Type A division consists of a headquarters, four infantry regiments, an artillery regiment, a tank and engineer battalion, a communications battalion and several detachments, including anti-tank, reconnaissance and armored personnel carriers. The division has 9,000 personnel and is armed with 80 tanks and 20 armored personnel carriers, up to 240 guns and mortars, 470 machine guns, 180 rocket-propelled anti-tank rifles, 1,600 vehicles for various purposes and other military equipment. The modern Japanese division, according to foreign experts, surpasses the division of the former imperial army by 3 times in firepower and 2.5 times in maneuverability.
In general, the ground forces are armed with about 700 tanks (of which 500 are medium type “61” and approximately 200 light M24 and M41), over 540 armored personnel carriers (type “60” and other types), approximately 50 self-propelled launchers for NUR “R- 30", 140 missile defense launchers, 4,600 mortars and field and anti-tank artillery guns, as well as a significant number of various types of small arms and anti-tank weapons, up to 400 army aircraft and helicopters and other military equipment.
Foreign press reports that ground forces are deployed dispersedly, but in such a way that most of the headquarters, troops and military equipment (especially tanks, missiles and artillery) are deployed on the island. Hokkaido and in the northeastern regions of the island. Honshu, closest to the Soviet Far Eastern borders. In particular, on about. Hokkaido is home to the troops of the most full-blooded and combat-ready Northern Army, which includes the 2nd, 5th and 11th Infantry Divisions, the 7th Mechanized Division, the 1st Tank Brigade and other units.
Rice. 2. Actions of tanks during exercises in snowy terrain
In combat training and theological training of ground forces personnel (as well as the armed forces as a whole), emphasis is placed on strengthening moral and psychological hardening, educating soldiers, non-commissioned officers and officers in the spirit of old (samurai) military traditions, increasing the level of operational-tactical and military-technical training, strengthening military discipline, improving physical fitness and endurance.
In combat training of troops and operational training of headquarters, the main attention was paid to offensive and defensive actions in difficult combat conditions, landing operations, maintaining continuous command and control and clear interaction between the branches of the armed forces and branches of the armed forces.
For these purposes, one or two large operational command and staff exercises with the participation of troops are held annually. In the Northern Army, such exercises are usually organized in winter in conditions of low temperatures and in the presence of deep snow cover.
To increase the maneuverability of troops, airborne and helicopter landings, tanks, armored personnel carriers and all-terrain vehicles are widely used (Fig. 2 and 3).
Rice. 3. Training of offensive infantry actions
Japanese Air Force
The Japanese Air Force is designed to provide combat support for the actions of the ground forces and naval forces, as well as to carry out the country's air defense. Organizationally, the Air Force consists of an air combat command, an air training command, an air transport wing, a rescue air wing, a flight safety wing, a training and technical center, supply parks and other units of direct subordination.The Air Combat Command is the highest operational command, which includes the Northern Aviation Direction (headquarters at Misawa Air Base), the Central Aviation Direction (headquarters at Irumagawa Air Base), the Western Aviation Direction (headquarters at Kasuga) and a separate reconnaissance aviation squadron.
According to a typical organization, an aviation sector usually includes two or three fighter wings, one or two anti-aircraft missile groups (SAM), a control and warning wing, an engineering and construction detachment and support units. A fighter wing consists of a headquarters, an aviation group consisting of two or three squadrons, a technical support group and an airfield service group.
In total, the Japanese Air Force has 13 air wings, including eight fighter wings, a transport wing, a rescue wing, and three training wings. It is armed with about 500 combat and 400 auxiliary aircraft and helicopters, and more than 140 Nike-Hercules missile launchers. Among the combat aircraft there are F-4EJ, F-104J, F86F Saber fighters and others. Many of them are built at Japanese factories. The transport aviation wing is equipped with C-4G, YS-11 and C-1 aircraft.
Air Force combat aircraft are based at air bases in Chitosa, Misawa, Matsushima, Hyakuri, Irumagawa, Komatsu, Hamamatsu, Komaki, Nyutabara, and Tsuiki. When solving the country's air defense problems, control of the actions of fighter-interceptors, anti-aircraft missiles and radio equipment is carried out centrally from the command post (in Futu) using an automated control system.
During the combat and operational training of the Air Force, the main attention is paid to issues of interaction with ground forces, practicing methods of bombing, intercepting and destroying air targets. Major air combat command-wide air defense exercises, usually involving the U.S. 5th Air Force, are held once a year.
Japanese Navy
The Japanese naval forces carry out the tasks of protecting and defending the coast of Japan and a number of other tasks, which, in an emergency situation, according to foreign experts, will obviously find concrete expression in the blockade of the strait zones of the Okhotsk, Japan and East China seas, in countering free navigation on sea and ocean communications, in supporting landing operations of ground forces. This is due to the nature of the organizational structure of the Navy, the number and combat characteristics of ships and aircraft, the content and direction of daily activities and combat training.Organizationally, the Navy consists of a fleet, five naval regions, a training squadron, an aviation training command, military educational institutions and numerous logistics support units. In turn, the fleet (state in Yokosuka) includes a formation of escort ships, two flotillas of submarines, two flotillas of minesweepers, separate divisions of landing ships and transport ships, as well as an air combat command. The Air Combat Command unites five air wings of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters of basic patrol and anti-submarine aviation, which are designed to conduct long-range aerial reconnaissance over the sea, search and destroy submarines.
The combat forces of naval areas include units of patrol, anti-submarine, minesweepers, landing and other warships and boats.
The number of Navy personnel is over 45 thousand people, including 4.5 thousand civilian personnel.
The Japanese Navy currently has 200 warships and 310 auxiliary vessels with a total displacement of about 190,000 tons. In particular, they include 15 destroyers and patrol ships (including a guided missile destroyer and two helicopter destroyers), 14 submarines , 46 minesweepers, 20 small anti-submarine ships, 14 patrol and torpedo boats. The fleet's basic patrol aircraft are armed with more than 270 aircraft and helicopters.
The ships of the fleet and forces of naval regions are based mainly at the five largest naval bases: Ominato, Yokosuka, Maizuru, Kure and Sasebo, in which the headquarters of the corresponding naval regions are located. Naval aviation is based at the airfields of Hachinoe, Shimosa, Tateyama, Tokushima, and Kanoya.
The Navy's combat training is aimed at maintaining high operational readiness of naval and aviation forces, practicing anti-submarine warfare, protecting sea lanes and ensuring landings. Major naval exercises are usually conducted jointly with the American fleet, and not only in the waters surrounding Japan, but also in the ocean spaces - in the area of the Hawaiian Islands and off the west coast of the United States. In 1974, several anti-submarine and convoy exercises were conducted jointly with the Americans. Within the naval areas, exercises were held on the defense of naval bases and ports, mine sweeping, operational transportation, and ensuring navigation in coastal waters.
Thus, according to foreign military experts, the armed forces of Japan, in terms of their numerical and combat composition, organizational structure, level of technical equipment and the nature of combat training, are not only completely modern, but also the most powerful and combat-ready among the armies of the capitalist states of the Far East.
It should be noted that in Japan there are still quite influential militaristic forces that are increasingly pushing for an arms race, the militarization of the country and the transformation of the Japanese armed forces into an instrument of expansionist policy in the Far East and Southeast Asia.
The fourth military development plan serves these purposes. As a result of its implementation in the arsenal of weapons, the proportion of offensive weapons and military equipment for operational-tactical purposes will significantly increase, the number of tanks will increase to 820, F-4EJ fighter-bombers - to 120, new tactical fighters of its own production will appear in the Air Force aircraft fleet, designed for direct air support of ground forces (60 FS-T2 aircraft); The naval aviation fleet will increase to 200 airplanes and helicopters, and the number of destroyers, patrol ships and submarines will increase.
In 1972, 93.6% of the Defense Department's weapons needs were met through production at Japanese factories. In the future, we should expect an increase in the share of domestically produced weapons, since this is consistent with the general direction of military policy and is quite achievable due to the presence in industry of the necessary capacities, modern technology, and the constant expansion of the scale of R&D in the field of weapons.
Over the past 20 years, the Japanese have created and put into mass production more than 20 types of weapons and military equipment, including the R-30 NUR (Fig. 4), medium tanks 61 and 74, ATGM 64 (Fig. 5 ), armored personnel carriers "60" and "73", combat aircraft FS-T2, PS-1, P-2J-1, a three-dimensional radar station, warships for various purposes. The new weapons have high operational-tactical and technical characteristics. At the same time, Japan produces at its factories many types of American military equipment and weapons under license.
Rice. 4 Firing NUR “R-30”
Currently, short-range guided missiles of the ground-to-air, ground-to-ground, ground-to-ship, and air-to-air classes are under development. Under the space research program, powerful long-range launch vehicles (Lambda, Mu and others) have been created and continue to be developed, which, according to foreign experts, can be used in the interests of the armed forces.
Japan, as you know, has not yet ratified the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Currently, the country is conducting intensive research work in the field of nuclear physics and nuclear energy. Some high-ranking military figures have stated from time to time that Japan's possession of tactical nuclear weapons would not, in principle, contradict its constitution.
Rice. 5. Mobile ATGM launcher “64”
It should be noted that the persistent desire of Japan's militaristic circles to build up military power, encouraged by the United States, is causing concern among the Japanese people and opposition from the country's democratic forces. The Communist, Socialist and some other parties demand the liquidation of the Japanese-American military alliance, sealed by the notorious “security treaty,” and propose that relevant legislative acts (“limits”) be adopted in parliament in order to prevent a further build-up of the country’s military potential.
Japan's military preparations, supported by American imperialism and approved by the Beijing leadership, contradict the spirit of the times, the process of détente and do not serve the cause of strengthening peace and security in Asia, since the path to security in Asia is not the path of military blocs and groupings, not the path of opposing states alone others, but the path of good neighborly cooperation of all states interested in this.
The question of giving legal status to the Japanese Armed Forces seems to be a formality only at first glance. The Land of the Rising Sun was an ally of Nazi Germany, and the renunciation of the use of military force is an important part of the historical repentance of the Japanese people for the atrocities of the militarists who killed millions of Chinese and Koreans.
"For Eternity"
On November 2, 1945, Japan signed an act of unconditional surrender aboard the American battleship Missouri. In 1947, the Constitution was adopted, the ninth article of which proclaimed Tokyo’s refusal to create and use armed forces “in perpetuity.”
“Sincerely striving for international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as the sovereign right of the nation, and the threat or use of armed force as a means of resolving international disputes,” the text of the Constitution states.
Japan's Basic Law specifies that "never again will land, sea, air, or other means of war be created." The Constitution clearly prohibits the state from conducting offensive hostilities.
The lifting of such large-scale restrictions with the prefix “for eternity” is certainly a serious step both from a legal and ideological point of view. It is symbolic that the call to change the Basic Law was made by Shinzo Abe on May 3, the day when the country celebrates the 70th anniversary of the post-war Constitution.
In an interview with the Yomiuri newspaper, the prime minister assured citizens that the Constitution will retain its peaceful nature, but the status of the self-defense forces still needs to be spelled out. In his opinion, this can be done in 2020, which will be of great importance for Japan (the country will become the host of the Summer Olympics).
“The Self-Defense Forces are fully fulfilling their duty and in this they now have the confidence of more than 90% of the population,” Abe said. At the same time, the head of government did not lie and drew attention to the fact that many lawyers on constitutional issues consider the existence of self-defense forces to be illegal.
- Japanese army soldiers during a training exercise
- Reuters
Under the influence of an external threat
With his interview, Shinzo Abe opened a discussion about the need to update some provisions of the Basic Law. According to the prime minister, Japan lives in a different geopolitical reality, where without a full-fledged army it is impossible to ensure the security of the state.
In particular, the Japanese leader pointed to the potential threat posed by the DPRK.
Abe is the chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which, contrary to its name, takes conservative positions. There is no consensus in the party, as well as in Japanese society, on the issue of creating the Armed Forces. Experts consider Abe himself a consistent supporter of expanding the powers of the self-defense forces.
Leading researcher at the Center for Japanese Studies at the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Viktor Pavlyatenko, in a conversation with RT, said that if the situation on the Korean Peninsula continues to deteriorate, then in 2020 Japan will acquire an updated Constitution.
“Society itself has become accustomed to the actual existence of the army, and the initiative to amend the Constitution has long been heard. There are many sensitive aspects that play in favor of a positive solution to this problem. Therefore, if Abe stays until 2020, then the chances will be very high,” Pavlyatenko said.
The head of the Center for Japanese Studies at the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Valery Kistanov, clarified that in order to amend the Basic Law, Abe or his successor will have to secure 2/3 of the votes in parliament and then hold a national referendum.
- Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe
- Reuters
“Public opinion shows that the population is divided in opinion approximately equally. But in the current situation, most Japanese are likely to approve the changes. The reason will be the whipped-up hysteria around the DPRK and China. So, there probably won’t be any serious fluctuations in public opinion,” said RT’s interlocutor.
Rising Power
Since 2012, Japan has been implementing military reform, which involves renaming the self-defense forces into the army and giving them the right to strike enemy bases.
An important milestone on this path was the permission of the Japanese Parliament (dated September 19, 2015) for the use of Japanese military personnel in foreign operations. On March 9, 2017, Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said that Japan could strike North Korea if missiles were launched towards it.
Expanding the competence of the self-defense forces that appeared in 1954 is a natural stage in their development. In the 1960s and 1970s, the Land of the Rising Sun, with US support, created modern ground, air and sea forces. Washington was interested in strengthening Japan's military potential. This is how he saw the counterbalance to the USSR Pacific Fleet.
In 1979, the number of self-defense forces reached 270 thousand people and has remained virtually unchanged since then. Today, 250 thousand people serve in the Japanese troops. In the Global Firepower ranking of military power, the country ranks 7th, located between the UK and Turkey.
The Japanese ground forces are armed with 700 tanks, 2.8 thousand wheeled armored vehicles, 202 self-propelled artillery units, 99 multiple launch rocket systems and 500 towed guns.
The Japanese Navy includes 131 combat ships: 4 aircraft carriers, 43 missile ships, 27 minesweepers, 6 corvettes, 6 coast guard ships, 17 submarines, etc. Coastal defense is provided by about 100 Ture-88 anti-ship systems.
- Japanese fleet. April 28, 2017
- Reuters
Japanese airspace is protected by over 350 anti-aircraft missile systems. In addition, the Land of the Rising Sun has powerful aviation (including naval aviation). The Self-Defense Forces have 288 fighters, 287 bombers and 119 attack helicopters.
Russia's strategic interest
For half a century, Japan has had a modern professional army that is capable of performing a wide range of combat missions beyond the state border. The incentive to build up military power, in addition to the DPRK’s “nuclear hooliganism,” is the strengthening of the PRC fleet. The Chinese factor worries Tokyo and Washington equally.
All countries in the East Asian region are increasing their military power. Russia is no exception. According to the official plans of the Russian Ministry of Defense, in the coming years a unified coastal defense system will be created from Primorye to the Arctic. In addition, the Pacific Fleet (PF) should receive several new and modernized ships.
The Kuril ridge occupies a special place in Russia's plans. Japan disputes the territorial affiliation of its southern part. By the end of 2017, a new division will be formed in the Kuril Islands, which will replace the 18th machine gun and artillery division. A Pacific Fleet supply point may appear on the uninhabited island of Matua.
Stretching from Kamchatka to the Japanese islands, the Kuril ridge is a natural line of defense for the Russian Far East, and the straits between the islands are routes to the Pacific Ocean for ships and submarines of the Pacific Fleet carrying nuclear weapons.
- Russian ships of the Pacific Fleet
- globallookpress.com
- © Zha Chunming
At the official level, the Japanese leadership, including Abe, continues to consider the Southern Kuril Islands (Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and Habomai) an illegally seized territory and protests against any military activities of the Russian Federation.
Since 2015, contradictions between countries began to smooth out. In December 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Japan for the first time since 2005. The Russian leader secured Abe’s consent to stop the “historical ping-pong” and launch joint economic development of the four islands.
The absence of a peace treaty did not prevent Moscow and Tokyo from resuming military contacts. However, not everything is so smooth: Russia is alarmed by the large-scale US military presence on the Japanese islands (45-50 thousand troops), but Tokyo does not intend to sacrifice its alliance with Washington.
Valery Kistanov is confident that the Japanese armed forces in their current form are not dangerous for Russia, since they do not have offensive weapons - ballistic missiles, strategic bombers and nuclear submarines.
“It is not yet clear what will happen after the Constitution is changed. If Japan decides to build up its military power, then this is a clearly negative scenario for Russia. However, this process will not be quick. Tokyo will have to overcome many barriers and completely eliminate its historical complexes. Accusations of militarism from the PRC and South Korea will be inevitable,” Kistanov noted in a commentary to RT.
The Japanese parliament made a decision unprecedented in post-war history: the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (as the army is officially called) are now allowed to take part in hostilities outside the country.
For the Prime Minister of Japan, this bill became a matter of his political prestige, so he tried with all his might to “push” it through parliament, not only brushing aside the objections of his opponents, but also putting his own reputation and even his own premiership at stake. The Prime Minister celebrates the victory: by a majority of votes, members of the Japanese Diet voted to officially allow army units to carry out combat missions outside the country, even if this is not associated with any direct threat to Japan itself. In essence, this means Japan's official abandonment of the strictly pacifist policy it has pursued since the end of World War II.
The fact is that in the Constitution of the 128 million Japanese nation after the surrender of 1945, the so-called “pacifist” 9th chapter appeared, according to which the army of the Land of the Rising Sun not only has the right to exclusively defend itself on its territory in the event of direct military aggression against Japan, but does not even have the right to be called, in fact, an army. The Japan Self-Defense Forces have always been considered a cross between the police and the rescue service - and were armed accordingly. True, such a period did not last long and the “non-existent” Japanese army nevertheless began to arm itself and equip itself as an army should: the fleet received serious warships, aviation began to develop, missile forces appeared... but the name did not change: officially Japan does not have an army. There is only “self-defense”.
It is not surprising that critics are now accusing the government of violating the country's fundamental constitutional law. The largest mass protests in the last five years have swept across Japan. Japanese students in particular are protesting vehemently - they are loudly declaring what, according to opinion polls, the majority of the Japanese population thinks: namely, that the government acted illegally. “People are extremely angry,” emphasizes Aki Okuda, one of the leaders of the SEALD (Students Emergency Action for Liberal Democracy) movement founded in May. “We don’t want our soldiers to get involved in fights abroad and die in hot spots,” having nothing to do with Japan!” According to him, the prime minister did not provide enough arguments why the so-called “package of security laws” was needed at this particular moment - and the fact that, instead of clearly explaining his position, he simply took advantage of the pro-government majority in parliament violates principles of democracy and goes against the Constitution.
However, the job is done: from now on, Japan returns, so to speak, to the world theater of war: new laws allow the Japanese military to fully support its US allies. According to the prime minister’s supporters, the country’s “pacifist” Constitution has outlived its usefulness in the current international situation and is in dire need of adjustment. Japan has the right to participate in “collective self-defense” and to actively support its allies.
In principle, the main message of these events is aimed at China, whose battle with Japan for a dominant position in the Pacific region has been going on for decades. China's rise to regional leadership, both economically and militarily, has led to increased tension in its relations both with its neighbors in East Asia and with the United States, which wants to maintain a leading position in this part of the world. Japan, in turn, considered itself forced to strengthen its alliance with America - now, in the event of an armed conflict with the PRC or North Korea, the Japanese military can not only count on protection from the Americans, but are able to come to their aid themselves .
In principle, the fact that Japan is adapting its security policy to changing conditions does not contain anything new. Back in the early 1990s, Americans accused their Japanese allies of engaging in “checkbook diplomacy” - that is, of trying to buy their way out of their allied obligations. The reason for the accusations was the first Gulf War, when the Japanese responded to the Americans’ request for help: “Only with money!” After this, laws were passed in Japan that allowed Japanese soldiers, at a minimum, to participate in peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the UN. By the way, the prestige of the country has increased significantly due to this.
In 2001, Japan announced its support for Washington in George W. Bush's "war on terrorism" - and got down to business very seriously: Japanese soldiers took on a significant part of the logistics, supporting the Anglo-American Expeditionary Force in Afghanistan, and during the second war in In Iraq, Japan sent its military with humanitarian aid to the “pacified” Iraqi regions - however, without getting involved in a fight.
By the way, the same Germany, which has no less powerful “pacifist” legislation (the German Basic Law contains an article prohibiting Germans from starting a war), adopted a law on the possibility of German soldiers participating in the so-called “collective self-defense” back in 1992. And just like Germany, Japan is one of the countries with the largest military expenditures in the world (the first three places on this list, according to the Stockholm Peace Research Institute SIPRI, are still occupied by the United States, Russia and China) - which is reflected in Article Nine of the Japanese Constitution doesn't interfere. According to Abe's supporters, the time has come to bring the laws into line with the surrounding reality - this, they believe, will increase confidence in their country on the part of allies.
It is not known how things will turn out there regarding the trust of the allies, but an attack of distrust on the part of China has already manifested itself: Chinese representatives made a number of harsh statements regarding the new Japanese law. The general meaning: Japanese militarists yearn for revenge for defeat, and the peaceful Chinese Armed Forces are ready to turn these dreams into dust at any moment.
However, we should not forget that since the end of World War II, Japan has always remained a very peaceful state. The Prime Minister assured in his speech dedicated to the new law that this will not change in the future: the country of Nippon does not intend to be the first to start any fight in the world. But now he can fight back on completely legal grounds. Another question: at what point might the Japanese suddenly decide that it’s time to give someone back for something?
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, at a meeting on Monday of current and former leaders of the Ministry of Defense and the “self-defense forces” (a euphemism for the Japanese armed forces), referring to the nuclear missile threat from the DPRK, stated the importance of increasing the defense capabilities of his state, the news agency reported. Dzi-Dzi press agency.
Pointing to North Korea's "continuing provocations, including the recent ballistic missile launch and sixth nuclear weapons test," Abe demanded that the reclusive country's "threats be tamed." Namely, Japan, together with the United States, must take concrete steps to improve its defense capabilities. To this end, the prime minister proposed revising the basic defense program.
To achieve this, a record 2018 Defense Ministry budget of 5.25 trillion yen ($48.6 billion) has been requested. This is 2.5 percent more than this year. The aggravation of the situation on the Korean Peninsula and “increased activity of China in the area of disputed territories” are cited as justification for increasing allocations for military needs. The allocated money will be used, in particular, for the purchase of two patrol ships, six F-35A aircraft, four Osprey tiltrotors, as well as for the construction of a new submarine.
In addition, the Japanese military reportedly plans to spend 19.6 billion yen (about $178 million) on developing new radar technologies to track advanced stealth aircraft. The Ministry of Defense is asking for 67.7 billion yen ($1.52 billion) to purchase air defense missiles with improved characteristics, including SM-3 Block 2A and PAC-3 MSE.
The ministry also plans to purchase and deploy in Japan a ground-based version of the American Aegis missile defense system. Currently, Japan's missile defense is provided by the Aegis system deployed on ships, armed with SM-3 transatmospheric interception missiles. The territory of the country is also covered by PAC-3 (“Patriot-3”) installations for destroying missiles within the atmosphere.
10 billion yen (about $90.5 million) will go towards research into creating long-range weapons; 7.7 billion yen ($69.7 million) - for research on the creation of new anti-ship missiles; 10.7 billion yen ($96.8 million) - to modernize the operational management system for air defense facilities.
And this despite the fact that today Japan, which does not have the right to have armed forces under the constitution, is included in the list of the ten most powerful armies in the world. The armed forces of the Land of the Rising Sun are ranked 9th or 6th, and sometimes even 4th in the world, ahead of such nuclear powers as Great Britain and France. The Business Insider publication explains this by the high level of technical equipment of Japanese aircraft.
The country has 247 thousand people under arms, which puts it in fourth place in the Pacific region in terms of the number of armed forces. Japan has a significant air force, ground forces and an impressive navy, which is considered one of the strongest in the world. It has more than 1,600 combat aircraft, 767 tanks, 16 submarines, 4 helicopter carriers, 9 destroyers. Human resources are estimated at 53.6 million people.
Being the third most powerful economy in the world, Japan, despite many years of stagnation, is able to allocate significant funds for the maintenance and development of its army. Measures are being taken to recreate the country's military-industrial complex, which will be able not only to provide the armed forces with domestic weapons, but also to occupy its niche in the global arms trade. To date, previously existing restrictions on such trade have been lifted.
Neighboring countries are concerned about the rapid build-up of the military potential of the state, which until recently proclaimed pacifism as the basis of its domestic and foreign policy. Today, having thrown aside constitutional prohibitions, the Abe government, despite mass protests from the population, is increasingly involved in the military strategy of its overlord, the United States. Legislation has already been adopted allowing “self-defense forces” to take part in hostilities together with the US Army in any hot spots on the planet. Japan is an active participant in the American plan to encircle Russia and China with the most modern missile defense systems designed to “neutralize” the nuclear missile weapons of these countries and deprive them of the ability to retaliate.
Russia sees these threats and warns the Japanese government of its concerns and the possibility of retaliatory measures. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov recently expressed concern about Tokyo's plans to host the US Aegis Ashore missile defense system. “We have serious concerns in this regard, which we convey to our Japanese colleagues,” the Russian diplomat said in an interview with Chinese and Japanese media.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry also expressed concern about the increase in spending on Japan's military needs. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said: “Regardless of the reasons, Japan's defense budget has increased year after year and has reached historical highs. We are very concerned about this." “For historical reasons and the current situation, the international community and this country's neighbors are closely monitoring Japan's military security motives. We hope that Japan will learn the lessons of history and take seriously the security concerns of its Asian neighbors,” the Chinese diplomat concluded.