Japan Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

^ Please post your sources unless we think you are making up claims.

And you know personal attacks are not allowed in this forum. You are breaking the rules, again.

Roger604 said:

Please post your sources unless we think you are making up claims.

Click to expand...

So you're denying that the Japanese defence budget is dropping and believe that it is increasing? If not maybe you could make a clear, relevant statement on the Japanese defence budget rather than a vague, snide swipe at Japan as you did in your previous post.

And you know personal attacks are not allowed in this forum.

Click to expand...

How is it a personal attack to suggest you should acquaint yourself with the facts in the matter you're discussing?

Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said Tuesday he has agreed with Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura and Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba to discuss passing a permanent law that would allow the Self-Defense Forces to be sent abroad for international cooperation activities.

Machimura added he and his two colleagues reaffirmed they will continue to meet periodically to discuss the general law following the expected passage of a temporary bill for resuming the Maritime Self-Defense Force refueling mission in the Indian Ocean as well as other security issues.

"We have not yet decided how to handle (the planned legislation)," Machimura said. "But speaking of a general law, Prime Minister (Yasuo) Fukuda has strongly asserted the need for it, as I recall, from the time he was chief Cabinet secretary."

Fukuda, who became prime minister last September, was chief Cabinet secretary from October 2000 to May 2004, during which the government set up an office to study a possible permanent law for sending the SDF abroad on international peacekeeping missions, including those not authorized by the United Nations.

A permanent law is being eyed to allow Japan to continue the refueling mission in support of U.S.-led antiterrorism activities in and around Afghanistan after the temporary law expires in a year. The temporary law may be passed this weekend.

A bill to put permanent legislation in place is expected to be submitted to the Diet during the regular session that convenes Jan. 18 or during an extraordinary session in the fall.

Machimura, however, said it is "too early" to say when the government hopes to have the Diet enact a general law, saying it will take time to come up with the details, including SDF members' use of weapons.

New Komeito, the Liberal Democratic Party's partner in the ruling bloc, has called for careful discussions on the need for such a law — a politically sensitive issue in light of the war-renouncing Constitution.

Currently, the SDF can be sent abroad only under an existing law concerning cooperation with U.N. peacekeeping operations or when a special law is enacted for specific purposes, such as the Indian Ocean mission.

"Using the current special laws has been one method, but there have been various criticisms, such as that it lacks swiftness," Machimura said.

The MSDF withdrew from the Indian Ocean in November after the previous special law allowing the mission expired in the face of opposition parties' resistance.

The government-proposed bill for a one-year special law enabling the MSDF to resume the mission has stalled in the opposition-controlled House of Councilors but is expected to be passed on the strength of the ruling coalition's comfortable majority in the more powerful House of Representatives.

The Lower House passed the bill Nov. 13 with support from the ruling camp, and it can vote the bill into law even if the Upper House votes it down or doesn't vote on it at all.

Click to expand...

FOREIGN Minister Stephen Smith has welcomed Japan's resumption of a naval mission supporting coalition operations in Afghanistan. The Japanese Government has issued orders for ships to return to refuelling coalition forces in the Indian Ocean after passing legislation which overrode an opposition shutdown of the mission last November.

Mr Smith said Japan's refuelling role and its aid for reconstruction and development has been critical to the effort in Afghanistan.

"The resumption of Japan's refuelling operations is a very positive step and reinforces efforts to ensure sustained international commitment to Afghanistan,'' he said. "Australia itself remains committed to Afghanistan in partnership with Japan and other members of the international community.''

Click to expand...

New Japanese Tank

Here are some pictures. It is said to be a 40 ton medium tank.

Re: New Japanese Tank

Hmm, why is Japan going backwards? Are they attempting to replace their Type 74s? Five road wheels is a tank of the past. I thuess they are trying to recombine mobility with protection. (Smaller tank x equal armour = sizer tank + less weight?)

Re: New Japanese Tank

English wiki


JP wiki:

しかし、導入検討の候補となった諸外国の第3.5世代戦車は、陸上自衛隊保有の戦車トランスポーターでの輸送を可能とする様な小型軽量化を行っておらず、90式戦車よりも大型であり重量も約6～12t重く、また、我が国でそのまま利活用できるC4I機能も搭載しておらず、日本独自のC4Iシステムに適応させる為の改修等が必要な物であった。

Click to expand...

But the 3.5th generation tanks of the foreign countries which became a candidate for the introduction consideration isn't small enough to be transported by tank transporters that the JSDF has. And those tanks lacked the C4I which can be utilized without motification.

Video:


Japan is a country needs compact and little weight vehcles.
Roads are very narrow there smaller size may given good maneuveribility.

Re: New Japanese Tank

Can you put this in the Japanese military thread, please? There was a reason I opened it in the first place - thanks.

http://www.sinodefenceforum.com/world-armed-forces/japan-military-news-thread-8-2436.html

High-tech Japan warship collides with fishing boat By Linda Sieg
Tue Feb 19, 1:13 AM ET



A Japanese naval destroyer equipped with sophisticated radar key to the country's missile defense system collided with a fishing boat on Tuesday, the coastguard said, raising questions about the ship's monitoring.

Two men on board the 12-metre (39 ft) fishing boat were missing after the collision east of Tokyo, prompting a search by military and coastguard vessels and aircraft.

The Atago destroyer, commissioned last spring, is the newest of Japan's five ships equipped with high-tech Aegis radar systems and typically carries a crew of around 300.

The opposition Democratic Party's top point person on defense said the party wanted an explanation of the incident from authorities, including why the destroyer's crew and defensive radar had not seen the fishing boat.

"This radar system should be better than any other ship's," lawmaker Keiichiro Asao told Reuters. "If they were not aware of the fishing boat, they could be attacked by any terrorists."

Some analysts said the Aegis system, used primarily for air defense, was unlikely to have been at fault.

"This would appear to be human error -- an oversight or a procedural mistake," said Lance Gatling, CEO of aerospace consultancy Gatling Associates, in an email interview.

Incidents involving the military are sensitive in Japan, where a streak of pacificism runs deep and the post-World War Two constitution bans the maintenance of armed forces. The ban has been interpreted as allowing a military for self-defense.

TV pictures showed divers searching for the missing crew as the bright red and white prow of the fishing boat, which was split in half in the collision, bobbed up and down in the waves surrounded by fishing floats and other debris.

A group of about 80 people beating drums and gongs gathered to pray on the dock where Haruo Kichisei, 58, and his 23-year-old son Tetsuhiro had set out on a tuna fishing trip early Tuesday.

The incident comes as Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's popularity is slipping due to doubts about his leadership.

A survey by the conservative Yomiuri newspaper published on Tuesday showed support for Fukuda's cabinet had fallen to 39 percent, with a disapproval rating of 51 percent.

Japan's missile defense system, introduced with U.S. help after North Korea fired a missile over Japan in 1998, has Aegis ship-based SM-3 missiles and land-based PAC-3 interceptors.

The Atago was heading back to Japan after a training exercise in Hawaii, a defense ministry spokesman said.

A similar Japanese ship equipped with SM-3 missile defense equipment successfully shot down a dummy ballistic missile off Hawaii in December in a joint exercise with the United States.

The Aegis radar system, supplied by Lockheed Martin Corp, is used by the U.S. Navy and other naval forces around the world.

(Additional reporting by Isabel Reynolds and Hideyuki Sano)




Copyright © 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.


Copyright © 2007 Yahoo All rights reserved.Copyright/IP Policy |Terms of Service |Help |Feedback
NOTICE: We collect personal information on this site. To learn more about how we use your information, see our» Privacy Policy

Boeing Gets OK To Deliver Tanker to Japan

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force has given Boeing the green light to deliver the first of four tanker aircraft it has on order from the U.S. aerospace giant. ...

Click to expand...

With Japan now getting tankers and also their new DDHs, they're significantly increasing their reach.