Japan and Australia sign reciprocal access agreement on defense(RAA)

[Bricktop]

The best way to deal with a bully is to stand up to them.

 



Each and every altercation with pigs....  :sdfjh(2):

I'd be happy to provide you the opportunity.

[Frood]

I don't have a walker.... it wouldn't be a fair fight.

[Anonymous]

Amongst western nations, Australia has stood up firmly against Chinese intimidation and aggression.



It would be nice if other nations stood as firmly as us.

They have stood up strong against China The can be very proud



It would be huge if others did likewise

Canada will never do that as long as the LIberal Party is in power.

[Anonymous]

This should have happened twenty years ago.



Defense Web of Democracies

The RAA is also good news for the Americans.



For starters, U.S. forces are overstretched regionally and worldwide. Whatever the JSDF does in, or with, Australia feeds into the United States' desperate (though unstated) need for a more capable JSDF. That means, a JSDF capable of fighting in its own right, and also as an ally. And this is no less beneficial to Australia—which is game but not big enough to defend itself against an angry People's Republic of China (PRC).



As important, increased Japan-Australia activities break down the "hub and spoke" nature of the U.S. presence in the Pacific. That's a construct that has American forces operating too often bilaterally with Asia/Pacific nations (for example, the spokes).



The "spokes" need to operate together—creating a more durable "web"—without the Americans driving things. Doing so improves capabilities and also deepens the previously mentioned psychological and political ties that come of military-to-military engagements between like-minded nations.



This doesn't mean the Americans are excluded or unnecessary, but rather it bolsters the U.S. presence as part of a more complex and stronger web of defense relationships. It should be seen as "cross-bracing" rather than as a replacement or a hedge.



The "web" approach is particularly important as, given the countries involved are democracies where policies can change with elections, the more there are overlapping defense relationships, the more likely the region as a whole can continue to build its defense posture even if the government changes in one of the partners.



Reasons for Cautious Pessimism

Beijing is of course displeased with the RAA and will use its levers to try to stifle it before it can fully form.



Japan's once powerful pro-PRC constituencies in political, official, and business worlds are quiescent for now, but that can change. Given this, one wonders if Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's administration might put a brake on attempts to do more with Australia on the military front.



Something similar may even play out in Australia should the Labor Party win the next election. Laborites say they won't, but one wonders.



Also, hopefully, the Japanese government doesn't see the RAA as meaning Japan needs to do less defense-wise.



Kishida needs to allow the JSDF to up its game considerably. Japan's military still needs more money (for training and personnel) and to meet recruiting targets that it has missed by 25 percent annually for years. The JSDF is still not ready to fight a war—needing among other things, a joint capability (which it doesn't have).



Bottom Line?

Too often it seems that signing an agreement is an end in itself.



So here's an idea. A year from now, let's hold another press conference and see what has actually been accomplished out of the RAA—and what the Japanese and the Australians are doing with each other—that could only have happened because of the RAA.



Sometimes it's good to keep score.

I can't help but feel this is too little too late..



In my opinion, Japan and countries like Australia need to engage Taiwan's military.

[Bricktop]

Measures such as this are more about optics than a new dawn in foreign relations.



It's main purpose is to declare to hostile nations that in the event of conflict, the signatories will combine resources to defend themselves. Despite our size, we are strategically important because of our remoteness. Bases can operate from northern Australia whilst out of reach of most conventional and tactical weapons. Long range bombers might reach our shores, but only several hours after they have been observed en route.



Given that we operate F35's, such a move would not be wise.



Japan's navy will desperately need a base out of reach of Chinese weapons. The US currently operates a major airforce base in the Northern Territory that can accommodate their strategic bombers.



These are critical factors that need to be considered by other nations contemplating hostile intent.

[Anonymous]

The Australian and Japanese prime ministers met virtually on Jan. 6 and signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) that makes it easier for each nation's troops to operate in each other's country.



As important, it strengthens the political and psychological groundwork for increased military cooperation between the two nations.



The Good News

It's the first such agreement Japan has signed with a country besides the United States. And it took a while.



An agreement in principle was reached in November 2020 between Japan's then-Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison—after six years of negotiating. It took another 14 months to finalize the deal.



The door is now open wide in both directions for practically any initiative the two sides desire.



One should remember, however, that the Japanese and Australian militaries are not strangers. Japanese forces have been training in Australia since the early 2010s, to include sending ships and troops to Talisman Saber and other exercises. Japanese ships have also exercised alongside the Australian Navy in the Indian Ocean Malabar Exercise and in the South China Sea.



Individual Australian Defense Force personnel have been assigned to Japan for decades. And Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircraft have used U.S. bases in Japan (under United Nations auspices) in recent years while enforcing North Korea sanctions. And in September 2019, a detachment of Australian F18s conducted a first-ever joint combat exercise with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) in Japan.



A decade ago, most observers considered a Japan-Australia RAA and all the above activities to be impossible.



Chinese threats, pressure, and saber rattling do indeed have a silver lining.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/japan-australia-defense-the-raa-is-signed-now-what_4212614.html?utm_source=morningbriefnoe&utm_campaign=mb-2022-01-15&utm_medium=email">https://www.theepochtimes.com/japan-aus ... dium=email">https://www.theepochtimes.com/japan-australia-defense-the-raa-is-signed-now-what_4212614.html?utm_source=morningbriefnoe&utm_campaign=mb-2022-01-15&utm_medium=email



Both countries can thank China for bringing them closer together.

The US probably regrets the constitution they forced on Japan seventy seven years ago.

[Anonymous]

The Australian and Japanese prime ministers met virtually on Jan. 6 and signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) that makes it easier for each nation's troops to operate in each other's country.



As important, it strengthens the political and psychological groundwork for increased military cooperation between the two nations.



The Good News

It's the first such agreement Japan has signed with a country besides the United States. And it took a while.



An agreement in principle was reached in November 2020 between Japan's then-Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison—after six years of negotiating. It took another 14 months to finalize the deal.



The door is now open wide in both directions for practically any initiative the two sides desire.



One should remember, however, that the Japanese and Australian militaries are not strangers. Japanese forces have been training in Australia since the early 2010s, to include sending ships and troops to Talisman Saber and other exercises. Japanese ships have also exercised alongside the Australian Navy in the Indian Ocean Malabar Exercise and in the South China Sea.



Individual Australian Defense Force personnel have been assigned to Japan for decades. And Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircraft have used U.S. bases in Japan (under United Nations auspices) in recent years while enforcing North Korea sanctions. And in September 2019, a detachment of Australian F18s conducted a first-ever joint combat exercise with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) in Japan.



A decade ago, most observers considered a Japan-Australia RAA and all the above activities to be impossible.



Chinese threats, pressure, and saber rattling do indeed have a silver lining.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/japan-australia-defense-the-raa-is-signed-now-what_4212614.html?utm_source=morningbriefnoe&utm_campaign=mb-2022-01-15&utm_medium=email">https://www.theepochtimes.com/japan-aus ... dium=email">https://www.theepochtimes.com/japan-australia-defense-the-raa-is-signed-now-what_4212614.html?utm_source=morningbriefnoe&utm_campaign=mb-2022-01-15&utm_medium=email



Both countries can thank China for bringing them closer together.

The US probably regrets the constitution they forced on Japan seventy seven years ago.

You mean about Japan only being allowed to have a self defense military on it's own soil?

[Bricktop]

Japan has all but signalled its intention to develop a more aggressive military capability contrary to the surrender terms.



I'm sure the US has nodded quietly in agreement, but even if it hasn't, there is nothing they can do to enforce that treaty now.

[Frood]

The US has been pressuring Japan for decades.

[Anonymous]

Japan has all but signalled its intention to develop a more aggressive military capability contrary to the surrender terms.



I'm sure the US has nodded quietly in agreement, but even if it hasn't, there is nothing they can do to enforce that treaty now.

Exactly. There is little fear in Asia anymore about Japan rearming or expanding it's alliances beyond just the US.

[Bricktop]

True.



I suspect Japan already has a more potent military than we know of.

[Frood]

Japanese manufacturers by law must be capable of pivoting in a very short turn around and fabricating war components which they've prototyped and improved from designs sourced around the world. It's one of their safeguards.

[Bricktop]

That was also my understanding.



Japan's industrial base can be very rapidly converted to military equipment from tanks to ships and planes.

[Frood]

To uniforms, small arms, everything....

[Anonymous]

True.



I suspect Japan already has a more potent military than we know of.

I've heard that Japan has a very modern, well trained, volunteer armed forces.