No, I am not some militarist condoning a preemptive attack on China. I am supporting China’s request for Japanese soldiers to deliver earthquake relief aid in Sichuan. The Japanese government is still deliberating as this would be the first deployment of Japanese military forces to the Chinese mainland since the second world war.
Jun Okumura thinks it is a nice idea, but worries about being taken in by a Chinese bully. Tobias Harris also supports the plan and points out how it perplexes both the political Right and Left in Japan. My favourite quote is from the Social Democratic Party of Japan who are against the plan claiming that “the JSDF are not a disaster relief organization (saigai kyuujo dantai).”
The DPJ SDP obviously aren’t reading our Kaplan. Disaster relief is an important and positive role for military forces the world over. It has always been so for domestic emergencies. The JSDF gained immense domestic respect from its relief role in the Kobe and Niigata earthquakes. Taking these efforts abroad is a logical step in contributing to global security in the 21st century. This is a natural progression borne out of Japan’s first foreign deployments in the 1990s, and it could go a long way in mending relations between the two Asian powers.

Comments to this entry
Tobias
May 29, 2008
2:48 am
To my knowledge the DPJ hasn't announced its position yet, although I expect that we'll know by day's end. Kan Naoto is scheduled to hold a press conference this afternoon, at which someone is bound to ask a question about it. My guess is that the DPJ will support it.
Younghusband
May 29, 2008
7:28 am
LB
May 29, 2008
9:43 am
What doesn't matter is the SDP. They should have been disbanded years ago (preferably with their former Dear Leader thrown into prison).
Shazzb0t
May 29, 2008
10:29 am
ElamBend
May 29, 2008
2:34 pm
Of course, American nationalist that I am...how come they didn't as us, the jerks ;)
Mark
May 29, 2008
8:45 pm
Aceface
May 30, 2008
2:39 am
Looks like Beijing is more worried about internet trolls than those who suffer under the collapsed building.
BTW,on this week's issue of lefty-Asahi shimbun's weekly magazine,AERA,the former staff writer and military analyst,Taoka Shunji was mentioning the idea about sending choppers and Osumi class LST all the way up the Yangze to Chingqing.
Anti-Japanese netizens delay Japanese aid to Chinese earthquake victims | Japan Probe
May 30, 2008
2:10 pm
tdaxp » Blog Archive » China Requests Japanese Military Insistance: Backwardness on both sides nixes the deal
May 30, 2008
11:42 pm
tingbudong
May 31, 2008
1:41 am
The power of the Red Guard 2.0 should not be under-estimated and resentment of Japan (especially anything military-related) still runs deep among the general population...not to mention the PLA, who would most likely be responsible for any liaison with Japanese aid forces.
lirelou
May 31, 2008
4:11 am
Rommel
May 31, 2008
4:38 am
That digression aside, if China and Japan allow this opportunity to pass then it is a damned shame.
Rommel
May 31, 2008
4:45 am
"China also successfully captured many Vietnamese provinces, mountains, and cities. After the succesful operation and incursion, Chinese forces gave peace and returned the land to Vietnam. Ever since the war, Chinese and Vietnamese relationships greatly improved."
I don't know if I've ever seen the Third Indochina War described in that manner. Something about the wording and tone makes me suspicious of the author's origins...
Well, thats Wikipedia for ya.
ROK Drop Weekly Linklets - 23-29MAY08
June 1, 2008
1:11 am
lirelou
June 1, 2008
12:22 pm