I want to just reiterate that Japan and DPRK are not on the brink of war as the topic title trolls.
A few clarifications on some of the previous posts:
-- The U.S. doesn't provide any aid to the DPRK. Japan has provided all the food and fuel aid agreed to in the multi-lateral talks since Japan is much 'closer' to the issue - as in the bullseye.
-- Japan had been attempting to move toward normalizing a relationship with the DPRK in the hope that diplomatic relations will continue dialogue and break the isolation. Slowly breaking the isolation is considered more viable since enhanced economic conditions through trade do more to thaw frosty relations than politicians posturing and pandering to their domestic constituency.
-- The hard line 'axis of evil' statement did nothing but provide an excuse for the DPRK hardliners to move forward with weaponizing their uranium stock. Look, when the world's most militarily powerful nation equates a nation to a nation subsequently invaded (pre-emptively to disarm WMD that did not exist), how can they not feel threatened or next on the list? Particularly when the stated reasons for a pre-emptive strike have proved to be groundless, yet conveniently forgotten or changed.
I'm not making excuses for the DPRK, but you have to look at an opponent's mindset before you can understand potential paths to mutual existance.
-- Just to clarify, the U.S. military presence in Japan is not an economic benefit for Japan. The U.S. cannot afford to have a Pacific presence and the Japan bases are more for U.S. strategic purposes than the defense of Japan. The prevailing opinion is that the U.S. is only interested in protecting its bases, not living up to any security agreements with Japan.
The presence is a cost, not an economic plus to Japan since Japanese taxpayers bear the costs of all the bases including construction, cost of living subsidies, fuel subsidies, off-base housing subsidies etc., and the personnel don't significantly contribute to the local economies - they buy everything on the bases through the military PX, BX system.
-- Japan has about 400 attack aircraft, 300 fighter aircraft, 18 submarines, at least 60 destroyers, 900 armoured vehicles, 900 artillery pieces, substantial ground to air missile systems, plus all the support units for these.
-- And now for the big question... are you ready?
Are you sure Japan has no nuclear capability just because it says so? Having car parts lying in close formation does not make it a car until it is assembled. You ask any Japanese on the street if Japan has nuclear weapons and the most frequent answer is: "I hope so."
How would you explain that Japan has the world's largest unaccounted-for plutonium stockpile? Japan is a very capable satellite launching nation. There are many unspoken arrangements and conditions between Japan and the U.S. I don't have a definitive answer, but the longer I am here, the more I lean toward an opinion.
