Many of the pirates in the region do have Muslim ties. But, Muslin or not, it would not be difficult for them to be hired out to Bin Ladin for terrorist purposes in exchange for large payment. Many of them resort to piracy for money and are descendents of pirates in that region.

The post WW II peacenik Japanese are indeed dying out. Ever since North Korea and China shot missiles into Japanese sovereign space (and China has its boats invading Japanese waters) the Japanese have been getting VERY SERIOUS about self defense and military improvements. The new generation of Japanese just might get very pissed off before long and they will carve their initials in the butts of those who attact them.

For all Japan’s public postering, rah rah feed the world, peace on earth, yada yada yada………we couldn’t have a better friend and say what you will about the JDF recruitment vids….but Yamamoto lives, he is just well hidden.

Limerick on December 4, 2007 at 11:19 PM

I had the pleasure of visiting three JMSDF ships back in the late 1990s in Boston. Their first line ships, Kongo Class, are AEGIS. They have F-15s and F-16s and they have very well trained pilots. Their Army has U.S. equipment and is well trained, just not much practical use in the past sixty years.

The military people are serious and would fight back.

Don’t forget the reports of the JMSDF firing on DPRK patrol boats in Japanese waters, plus going after PLAN submarines.

I saw those videos as well. I also saw a serious recruitment video which was as good as U.S. Navy recruitment ads.

subbottomfeeder on December 5, 2007 at 10:43 AM

I often am. I find it very liberating.

Frozen Tex on December 5, 2007 at 10:01 AM

Actually, no.

Japan was actually an empire long before they invaded China and Manchuria and Korea in the 30′s.

They may have picked a fight with us over natural resources, but they were “imperialistic” long before FDR pulled the plug on oil and rubber.

Though to be fair, our econimic and military spheres of influence (and those of the European colonial powers) and that of Japan in Asia were intersecting, and war between the Empire and the USA was almost certainly inevitable anyway.

The real question is what did Bush do to make them hate the Japanese!?!???!?

Bodhi on December 4, 2007 at 10:19 PM

Ain’t that the freakin truth. Dead on.

I voted for Bush twice and regret it (although who else was there). But I’m sure getting a bit weary of him being blamed for everything wrong in America. I just finished Buchanan’s “Day of Reckoning” and was disappointed by the fact that 50% of it was devoted to Bush bashing.

It’s getting tiresome.

Hannibal Smith on December 4, 2007 at 10:53 PM

Those silly Japanese, trying to imitate the Village People.

aimed at killing or capturing the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks earlier that year.

.
“alleged”
.
“alleged”
.
.
Did they put that there so the ACLU wouldn’t come a knockin’ ?

Hello kitty cartoons 24 hours a day.

Either that or non stop tentacle pr0n. Ugh. Had a roommate in the barracks who had some of that. Cthulhu nightmares for weeks!

On a more serious note, the Japanese have thrown the switch from generally pacifist to raging militarist before, so I have no doubt they could do it again. Ask the Russians what happens when you disregard the Japanese as quaint or isolated. If they decide to go back to the Way of the Warrior, things could get very interesting.

The problem is, their population is declining so quickly, who will be left to fight?

And Iran, which is Japan’s third largest oil supplier, might have joined the fray out of sheer economic motivation.

Bryan

Really? Iran would have given up its 30 year old Islamic theocracy because some of their oil got dumped in the ocean by Osama? I find that suggestion remarkable.

I also am curious about the commentariat’s tendancy to puff up just about anyone but the U.S. when it comes to fighting terrorists and other bad guys. It often comes out as “yeah, they can hide from the Marines, Seals, Rangers, and other Special Ops guys, but the (fill in the blank) will really tear them a new one!”

The Japanese? Are you guys kidding?

How about add to that Dance Dance Revolution marathons…”I said dance, haji, DANCE!”

Kid from Brooklyn on December 4, 2007 at 11:07 PM

http://youtube.com/results?search_query=mishima

You’re giving the Japanese way too much credit. Today’s Japan is the exact opposite of wartime Japan. The public would rather accept defeat than go through another war again. Pussies.

Its Tommy on December 4, 2007 at 10:18 PM

Because we utterly destroyed them. We need to do the same to our enemies today.

Suddenly, China’s products are not so cheap any more, making her economically motivated. Add that to their other beef with Islamic fundamentalists. Roast duck anyone?