In a followup to this post from November of last year,
107 Alerts on Chinese Spy PlanesJapan has scrambled fighter jets 107 times this year to intercept suspected Chinese spy planes, a top general said Thursday, amid growing concern in Tokyo over China’s arms buildup. The 107 alerts in the first three months of 2006 — the most in at least a decade — were a dramatic increase from the previous year, when fighters scrambled only 13 times against Chinese planes, said Gen. Hajime Massaki.
“Chinese activities in areas around Japanese territory have reached unprecedented levels,” the chairman of the Joint Staff Committee told reporters. “We believe these planes to be engaging in information-gathering activity, and behind the trend is the rapid modernization of China’s military,” the general said.
Japan’s policymakers are super-sensitive right now to China’s military buildup. Beijing has a 
2.5-million member military, and has increased its military spending by double-digits almost every year since the early 1990s (notably above the growth of its GDP). There are other factors that make the figure higher than it actually is—China does not include R&D in its defense spending, 40% of Japan’s budget goes to salaries compared to 20% for China, not to mention the rations. The BBC has a summary on the topic here. This is the main reason Japan is going out of its way to join up with the American Missile Defense Plan, join them in the reorganization of the military, and try its hard—beef imports notwithstanding—to keep great relations with the US.
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COMMENTS / 15 COMMENTS
Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » Japan: China’s military buildup added these pithy words on Apr 24 06 at 4:25 pm[...] In Hostile Maneuvers, Reloaded, Curzon at Coming Anarchy traces increases in Chinese military spending since the 1990s in the context of Japan’s ratification of the American Missile Defense Plan. [...]
snow added these pithy words on 24 Apr 06 at 4:46 amThe Japanese know very well that partnering with the US is in its best interests. Too bad that the current leadership of South Korea can’t seem to make up its mind. By following a ridiculous policy of being a ‘balancer’ in SE Asia, South Korea risks being pushed aside in times of conflict, or worse, of being railroaded by the big players. Having the US as a strong partner is absolutely the best option for SK. China is just not trustworthy.
Elizabeth added these pithy words on 24 Apr 06 at 6:03 amAre those figures in real dollars or PPP? If they are in real dollars, and China is purchasing from itself, then they may have already exceeded Japan’s spending power.
Bill Petti added these pithy words on 24 Apr 06 at 12:33 pm“China is just not trustworthy”
And precisely who is in the international system? Given that there is no one to guarantee a state’s security why should any state be trusted? What makes China less trustworthy than other states in the region—is it just their increase in military spending, spending disproportionate to the threats they face (as we define them)? Is it their desire to achieve Great Power status or regional hegemony? Who would not want to achieve these things and the advantages that accompany them? If I am not mistaken, that was and is an integral part of US grand strategy and it seems to be working out pretty well for us. China would be silly not to modernize and grow its military.
Unlike some other psuedo-great powers in the world I would think analysts who appreciate deft strategic thinking would be applauding China for understanding how international relations really works :)
snow added these pithy words on 24 Apr 06 at 1:45 pmSouth Korea has gained greatly in alliance with the US. It would be crazy to throw that away for an unworkable ‘balancer’ role and for cosying up to China. Like I said, China is untrustworthy. SK cannot really know the intentions of the Chinese, and I highly doubt that they will listen to the objections of South Koreans to the degree that the US does and did. I’m not begrudging the Chinese to develop in every way they can. But we should be watching their every move.
snow added these pithy words on 24 Apr 06 at 1:48 pmAnd Bill, no one is saying that China shouldn’t modernize. What I am saying is that we have to watch and be wary. Make deals and cooperate, but always remain vigilant. Of course its expected that they will play the game of realpolitik. Every nation does, and the US should continue to do so itself.
Alfred Russel Wallace added these pithy words on 24 Apr 06 at 2:22 pm107 in three months is more than one a day…... sounds very provocative to me, or have the Japanese rules of engagement changed?
Joe Kelley added these pithy words on 24 Apr 06 at 2:47 pmMaybe they can shoot one down if it gets to close. Making them look like the aggressor Just like the chinese did with ours.
Joe added these pithy words on 24 Apr 06 at 4:01 pmJapanese rules of engagement: Wait until the missiles are in the air, then transform the SDF trucks into giant robots and let the fun commence!
Curzon added these pithy words on 24 Apr 06 at 11:13 pmBill: if China was genuinely engaged in a realist struggle for power I would be more comfortable than their current policy of deliberately manufacturing hatred against their neighbors. This bodes very badly for the future.
Bill Petti added these pithy words on 25 Apr 06 at 1:18 amCurzon: they are manufacturing and utilizing nationalism because the state must protect itself from international and domestic threats—the party has recast itself as the best option for leading China to Great Power status and recovering all that was lost of the years of colonialism, imperialism, and defeat in war. Given their need to protect the state from internal and external threats I would say that they have done no more than any other state to play the nationalist card when it suites their needs.
Additionally, they have done so in a way that has not caused great consternation in the region to the point where states balance against it—they have been incredibly pragmatic and efficient in this regard.
sun bin added these pithy words on 25 Apr 06 at 3:02 amcurzon,
it could also be said that “(some factions in japan/etc) are deliberately provoking china to react’....you need to give them an excuse, don’t you? and more of the yasukuni shit happened since a year ago, was there any large street protest?
anyway, the fact that china is upping its defense spending has more to do with taiwan, than anything else. (also securing oil import, etc). it is trying to build a credible deterrant on taiwan. there is really nothing against japan, until japan prepared itself to intervene in taiwan, that was what hit china’s nerve.
sun bin added these pithy words on 26 Apr 06 at 9:20 ambtw, do you happen to have the map of SDF definition of alert zone?
i ask because chinese media reported that it includes part of the area west of japan’s EEZ claim zone, 130 km east of china’s coastline.
all i know is japan’s own EEZ, which is not as outrageous.
sun bin added these pithy words on 04 May 06 at 9:16 amok, here is the SDF map
looks quite outrageous, SDF is alerted even if China is flying in its own undisputed Chinese EEZ. no wonder.
