Should Japan be allowed nuclear weapons?

[JGalt]

They appear to be building up their military strength. Not for reasons of a new Imperialism, but as a defense against China, North Korea, and Russia. Should they be allowed to have nuclear weapons in their military arsenal as a deterrent?

 

[martybegan]

They appear to be building up their military strength. Not for reasons of a new Imperialism, but as a defense against China, North Korea, and Russia. Should they be allowed to have nuclear weapons in their military arsenal as a deterrent?

No nukes for them, but the restrictions on their conventional forces should be lifted.

They paid their penance for WWII, time to let them help out more against China and the NK's.

Plus any nuke on Japan would be bound to impact US civilians and military personnel, basically making it a WMD attack on us anyway.

 

[EvilEyeFleegle]

They appear to be building up their military strength. Not for reasons of a new Imperialism, but as a defense against China, North Korea, and Russia. Should they be allowed to have nuclear weapons in their military arsenal as a deterrent?

No...but I might favor basing US weapons in Japan~

 

[martybegan]

No...but I might favor basing US weapons in Japan~

Probably don't have to. I assume there is an Ohio Class SSBN parked somewhere in the Pacific that can handle a retaliatory strike if China or the NK's fling some nukes at Japan.

 

[okfine]

They appear to be building up their military strength. Not for reasons of a new Imperialism, but as a defense against China, North Korea, and Russia. Should they be allowed to have nuclear weapons in their military arsenal as a deterrent?

The Japanese people do not want nukes.

 

[TNHarley]

If we have them, why cant they?
I would prefer no one to have them, though.
That is a weapon no one, or no govt on this planet should have.

 

[okfine]

If we have them, why cant they?
I would prefer no one to have them, though.
That is a weapon no one, or no govt on this planet should have.

It's not in their identity. 3/4 of the Japanese do not want them.

 

[Biff_Poindexter]

Yes, they should be allowed...they of all countries should be allowed since they are the only country in history who had nukes used against them.....


Takes quite a bit of imperialistic audacity to dictate to them what they can and can't have; with our track record of being the only country to use them....and to do it for no reason but to show off...

 

[martybegan]

Yes, they should be allowed...they of all countries should be allowed since they are the only country in history who had nukes used against them.....


Takes quite a bit of imperialistic audacity to dictate to them what they can and can't have; with our track record of being the only country to use them....and to do it for no reason but to show off...

It worked. It gave the Emperor the out he needed to get the Army to surrender.

Japanese and Americans lives were spared. Japan was spared potential joint occupation.

The issue with nukes as a weapon is that too few is a far bigger risk than too many.

 

[Biff_Poindexter]

It worked. It gave the Emperor the out he needed to get the Army to surrender.

Japanese and Americans lives were spared. Japan was spared potential joint occupation.

The issue with nukes as a weapon is that too few is a far bigger risk than too many.

So you still telling yourself that fantasy huh...


“The use of this barbarous weapon…was of no material assistance in our war against Japan.” —Adm. William Leahy, Truman's Chief of Staff

 

[martybegan]

So you still telling yourself that fantasy huh...


“The use of this barbarous weapon…was of no material assistance in our war against Japan.” —Adm. William Leahy, Truman's Chief of Staff

It stopped by grandfather from being in the 2nd wave with the Dixie Division, no fantasy there.

Leahy was a proponent of naval power, and nukes at the time were purely the domain of the army air force, of course he would denigrate them because he thought it would be the end of his navy.

 

[shockedcanadian]

They appear to be building up their military strength. Not for reasons of a new Imperialism, but as a defense against China, North Korea, and Russia. Should they be allowed to have nuclear weapons in their military arsenal as a deterrent?

As long as they swear they won't use them on the West (and we watch to see if they cross their fingers behind their back).

The fewer nukes the better, human beings are too emotional and evil to be trusted with them. A friend today could easily be a foe tomorrow.

 

[Esdraelon]

They appear to be building up their military strength. Not for reasons of a new Imperialism, but as a defense against China, North Korea, and Russia. Should they be allowed to have nuclear weapons in their military arsenal as a deterrent?

I doubt their population would allow this but I see no reason to restrict them, even if we wanted to. After all, they'd be the least likely government on the planet to use them in haste. I'd seriously consider offering them to Taiwan. Now that Iran is only a step away from their own arsenal, non-proliferation is a dead issue. Let's let all comers have them.

 

[Esdraelon]

The fewer nukes the better, human beings are too emotional and evil to be trusted with them. A friend today could easily be a foe tomorrow.

I think THAT particular Rubicon was crossed a long time ago and there is no going back. I suspect we'll either see an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear sites in '23 or Iran will finally announce that they've assembled a few small nukes. Once Israel KNOWS Iran has them, especially if they've managed to mate them to ballistic missiles, the window to stop the Iranians will officially be closed.

Imagine how brash Iran will become with their support of proxies against Israel when they have a nuclear umbrella to protect themselves. Lovely, eh?

 

[Flash]

My father, who fought in WWII, told me to never trust Krauts or Japs.

 

[shockedcanadian]

I think THAT particular Rubicon was crossed a long time ago and there is no going back. I suspect we'll either see an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear sites in '23 or Iran will finally announce that they've assembled a few small nukes. Once Israel KNOWS Iran has them, especially if they've managed to mate them to ballistic missiles, the window to stop the Iranians will officially be closed.

Imagine how brash Iran will become with their support of proxies against Israel when they have a nuclear umbrella to protect themselves. Lovely, eh?

This is what happens when the world is weak. If only we could go back to 1989 and have the U.S take the opportunity to force strict nuclear reductions when it was the sole super power.

I'm sure many wouldn't want that anyways, because they can only see a foot in front of their faces.

 

[BasicHumanUnit]

China is rapidly building their military and their nuclear arsenal.
Without nuclear deterrence Japan invites defeat.

There are already enough nuclear warheads on the planet to kill the Earth 20 times over.
Japan having a few will not make the world any less "safe" than it already is.
If anything, it will give China's global ambitions a 2nd thought about attacking Japan or anyone for that matter.

 

[BasicHumanUnit]

My father, who fought in WWII, told me to never trust Krauts or Japs.

The world is no longer the same as it was in WW2 so using the same thought processes is pointless.
Due to nuclear weapons, neither the "Krauts nor the Japs" are in a position to attack anyone.
For that matter, neither is the USA, Russia or China. It is THE REASON Russia has not used nukes on Ukraine. Deterrence.

If any world power uses nukes at this point it could very easily lead to global annihilation. MAD.

 

[Biff_Poindexter]

It stopped by grandfather from being in the 2nd wave with the Dixie Division, no fantasy there.

Leahy was a proponent of naval power, and nukes at the time were purely the domain of the army air force, of course he would denigrate them because he thought it would be the end of his navy.

What part of they were not needed to stop the war did you not get the first time I told you?

 

[Flash]

The world is no longer the same as it was in WW2 so using the same thought processes is pointless.
Due to nuclear weapons, neither the "Krauts nor the Japs" are in a position to attack anyone.
For that matter, neither is the USA, Russia or China. It is THE REASON Russia has not used nukes on Ukraine. Deterrence.

If any world power uses nukes at this point it could very easily lead to global annihilation. MAD.

Just because you trust them don't mean the rest of us should.