Japan: Britain Of The Far East? -- Alessio Patalano, The DiplomatIn the third in our series on Asia-Pacific navies, Alessio Patalano argues that Japan has had no choice but to develop a powerful navy.
Sea power isn’t a natural attribute of statecraft. Nation states may, of course, decide to develop potent fleets to boost national power, dispute control of maritime spaces and enhance international status—just take the examples of the ‘treasure fleets’ of the Ming dynasty or the High Seas Fleet of Imperial Germany. But generally speaking, a government’s commitment to continuously funding, expanding and modernising the naval core of its military capabilities is tied to how much the country’s economic survival depends on doing so. For such nations, naval forces safeguard crucial economic interests ferried at sea, meaning the pursuit of sea power isn’t a political choice, but a strategic imperative.
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My Comment: 10 years ago such a discussion would be ridiculed and laughed off. Today .... with China expanding, North Korea threatening, and U.S. power and influence decreasing .... the Japanese discusion on the future of their military is no longer becoming a simple academic exercise.
Japan has always been a maritime power, and it is on its navy that it's future security will be focused on. My prediction .... Japanese constitution not withstanding .... the Japanese will embark on a naval program that will make the Japanese navy a formidible and serious force in Northeast Asia.
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