in defense of the US mainland. Which is probably true. They haven't had much of a military since WWII. They don't have their own nukes.
So for the most part, a defense pact is one way.

they aren't allowed to have much of a military.

as a response to China's constant saber rattling

developed by Japan subsequent to being nuked into submission. Other symptomatology included Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, etc.

So Trump can't really say Japan would be unwilling to help. By the conditions of their surrender in WW2, they are largely unable to help militarily.

Very powerful and modern navy and air force.

And was arguing that Japan would do nothing if the US was attacked, so why should we defend them if they are attacked?

Very disturbing stuff. And he repeated it over several events.

stipulated under article 9 that Japan that "land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained" That changed with the institution of the JDF in 1954 which was restricted to territorial defence only

It is not a matter of Japan coming to the defence of the US in the case of an attack on US soil That is a complete historical fiction and a red herring

Japan is not allowed to use it's armed forces outside it's territorial and maritime jurisdiction

Why do people not understand why the Senkaku Islands are such a point of contention for Japan It represents the furthest reach of it's defence perimeter wrt China

Trump being the illiterate ignoramus that he is, is blissfully ignorant of this simple historical fact

back in the 80's and that pissed off Dumbbell Don. Remember, everything is about him

Nato & Japan are our allies. Agreement is if one is attacked then the others will be with them. After 9/11, Nato Alliance Countries Air Forces patrolled our Eastern Coastline, that's an example of what happens.

For his opening act who just asked if Hillary Clinton "sounds like an American" - going off about Bengazhi.

Now he watches reruns of his TV shows, beauty pageants, and political rants.

the folks with careers tied to national defense

Career officers, instructors at naval colleges, West Point, diplomats and
the like. These people have dedicated their lives to the study of
national defense, paradigms, military history, treaties, etc. They study
in depth things like the Congress of Vienna, Prince Metternich, Admiral
Nelson at Trafalgar. These are heavyweights.

This is a complete rewriting of history, perspective, treaties all in one
bluster. Absolutely breathtaking.

"Nuclear war? Oh. Turn on the tube, will ya?"

and say they cannot in any way support Trump, no matter how they feel about HRC. Of course, anyone who is military can't say publicly, but I bet they are explaining stuff to close friends.

I have thought for awhile, since before the conventions, that there were a lot of people who already knew that Trump was not ready, not emotionally fit, and they had confidential info on him, and they just had to keep quiet until DT sunk himself.

If he is referring to conventional war, the US is a big country.

If he is referring to nuclear war, no place on earth would be spared.

Trump is a very, very dumb twit, with no knowledge of war or history or science or even the size of his little hands and brain.

Last edited Sun Aug 7, 2016, 12:02 AM - Edit history (1)

Little known fact. In fact, it's an UNKNOWN fact outside US intelligence circles.

More US intelligence organizations operate out of Japan than from any other country except the USA. Why? Because:

1. Japan sits off the Asian mainland, allowing direct access to China, Russia, and N. Korean communications.
2. Japan is the financial center of Asia and Asiatic Russia. It's important to know about financial and corporate transactions.
3. Classified
4. Classified
5. Classified
6. Classified
7. While Japan's military . . . their Self-Defense Force . . . is small, they are well-equipped, very well-trained, and lethal.
8. US bases in Japan provide us with forward-basing of forces and logistics.

While I suspect most DU'ers will understand what I have written, I have no doubt Trump doesn't have a clue.

is a racial slur. Did everyone get that? It is a slur like you would say about Jews "counting their money" or Italians owning "front businesses" or Mexicans being "drug mules."

The man can't stop himself. There is something wrong with him. I'm surprised he didn't say it while doing a Mickey Rooney imitation from "Breakfast at Tiffany's."

Exactly what it is.

...any more? It's kinda interesting what decade he's stuck in with which slurs. This one is stuck in the 80's when America was all resentful of Japan for it's success with cars and high tech.

got the gold in men's swimming and the American got the silver. /sarc.

What is this "Sony television" that Donald speaks of? I can't find it in the channel lineup. NHK... yup. TBS... yup. AXN (actually owned by Sony)... yup. Sorry... no Sony Channel on Japanese TV. But don't let that fact bother him.

As for racial slur... it could be construed that way.

Is there anything wrong with him? Yup. He's all trumped up. Or should we say these days Trumped up?

in remembrance of our nuclear attacks on Japan. Right now. This week.

Mostly tRump make me mad. This makes me literally sick to my stomach.

We absolutely can NOT let this man get his hands on our military.

Hardly know where to begin with this one. MacArthur, faulted as he may have been, saw that Japan was demilitarized after WWII, that women had rights, and that Japan would be a great nation once again - but not because of military ambitions.

Trump is more ignorant of American and world history than anyone who has ever run for president, and I know that includes a lot.

And in exchange we provide for their defense.

I know that and I suck at American history.

They are not weak by any stretch of the imagination.

...were helped into being by a woman named Beate Sirota Gordon--who was one of the American advisors there (and the only woman). There was also Ishikawa Fusae a Japanese activist who'd been stumping for women's rights for quite a while before the American occupation. From here: http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/content.cfm/women-in-modern-japanese-history

Women’s political rights were granted after the war in 1945. But the story of how they came to be deserves some attention. The main issue here is what Mire Koikari has called the “myth of American emancipation of Japanese women,” for this period has often been misunderstood. In the fall of 1945, the head of the Occupation (SCAP) General Douglas MacArthur presented a list of demands to the Japanese government, including the demand that women get the vote. However, feminist leader Ichikawa Fusae and her fellow activists had already been lobbying the Japanese cabinet to grant women’s suffrage even before the Occupation arrived. Ichikawa did not want a foreign power to be responsible for granting women the right to vote. The Japanese cabinet was supportive of her initiative. Nevertheless, the subsequent course of events—a revised electoral law granting women the right to vote and stand for office was passed in December 1945—meant that the Occupation could take credit for enfranchising women. This view overlooks the efforts of Japanese women as early as the 1920s as well as their activities in the immediate aftermath of war, as well as the Japanese government’s support of their demands.

The question of gender equality also came up in conversations around the postwar constitution. Most familiar to western audiences is the story of Beate Sirota Gordon’s role in proposing the gender equality clauses in the postwar Japanese constitution (Articles 14 and 24). At the time, Gordon, who was born in Vienna to Russian-Jewish parents but grew up in Japan, had returned to work for the Occupation as a naturalized American citizen. She was part of a group of Americans charged with the task of rewriting the constitution. Gordon later published her memoir The Only Woman in the Room (1997) relating her critical role in writing this legislation. She has been celebrated in some western and Japanese circles ever since.

I am glad they are not miltarized atm. Imagine them fighting with the North Koreans.

Giving him a clue about foreign policy must be a longer term project.

I can't tell if this is offensive, stupid, or insane. People on the interwebs seem to be making quite the fuss over this story but I'm not sure what angle they are attacking him from. Is it "what the fuck does that even mean?" kind of Trump story or "the U.S. forced Japan to demilitarize, you dumbass" or "what a racist prick" kind of thing?

although my preferred interpretation is #3.

That 35-40% of the electorate will vote for him no matter what he says. I actually think there's a good chance he will go out and shoot someone just to see the effect on his poll numbers.

the view that not enough Japanese were wiped out in the 2011 tsunami.
We very much live in a very sick society.

so many people who are willing to support what he stands for..

Or maybe he went down to 7-11 to watch people in New Jersey cheering? I get confused what he said.

Get em' all?

Let's see:
Women
Latinos
African American
Islamic
Jewish
Somali
Arabic
Chinese
Japanese...

Have I missed any?

...even thought the Republican platform he's running on is anti-GLBTQ and he picked Pence as running mate.... It's so hard sometimes to keep track of who he's for or against.

...classless.

I mean, just fuck this guy

Or is he planning to be so bad at being president that the us needs overseas help to prevent a land invasion of america. I thought he was making america great again.

a cookie jar.

He's fucking this up badly.

He doesn't make the slightest bit of sense.

destiny. Trump is Greg Stillson.

Now they've just gotten lazy.

They'd call Godzilla to save us.

of people he hasn't already insulted yet.