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

[Bricktop]

Yes, but small in relative terms.



Although they have the capacity to build their own material, they will need to greatly increase the standing army.



I see rumour mongers on Youtube claiming Japan has bought IP from Lockheed Martin from the YF 23 project that was in many ways superior to the F22 Raptor.



The reasons the Raptor won are not as relavant as they were given the advances in technology. Japan want's a 6th Gen air superiority aircraft and they are well down that path.

[Anonymous]

Yes, but small in relative terms.



Although they have the capacity to build their own material, they will need to greatly increase the standing army.



I see rumour mongers on Youtube claiming Japan has bought IP from Lockheed Martin from the YF 23 project that was in many ways superior to the F22 Raptor.



The reasons the Raptor won are not as relavant as they were given the advances in technology. Japan want's a 6th Gen air superiority aircraft and they are well down that path.

Japan seems secretive about military purchases..



I guess they don't want to spook their neighbours.

[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.

That is true, but also very tricky. Sales is one thing, but military exercises between countries like Australia, Japan and Taiwan would trigger a response from China.

[Bricktop]

It would never happen without US approval and participation.

[Anonymous]

It would never happen without US approval and participation.

Us participation. That would really piss off China.

[Odinson]

Are Taiwans army, navy and airforce independent from China?

[Bricktop]

Very. Totally US supplied, although it's F15's are getting a little old now.



But they do have US missile and radar systems. If China got frisky, it will cost them.

[Anonymous]

Are Taiwans army, navy and airforce independent from China?

Everything Taiwanese is independent from China since they are not part of China.

[Odinson]

I got confused by the names they use.



China liberation navy = Taiwan



Peoples liberation navy = Baddies





Republic of China = Taiwan



Peoples republic of China = Baddies

[Anonymous]

I got confused by the names they use.



China liberation navy = Taiwan



Peoples liberation navy = Baddies





Republic of China = Taiwan



Peoples republic of China = Baddies

Taiwan's official name is Republic of China, which used to be the name of all of China..



The name of the navy of Taiwan is the ROC navy..



It's arguable whether the ROC ever legally held the sovereignty of Taiwan..



Chiang Kai Shek accepted the surrender of the Japanese on behalf of the victorious USA..



Did that make his proclamation of retrocession legal?



Taiwan's status today is left over from World War 2, not China's civil war.

[cc]

Interesting stuff

Taiwan's official name is Republic of China, which used to be the name of all of China..

[What is China's current official name? ]

The name of the navy of Taiwan is the ROC navy..

It's arguable whether the ROC ever legally held the sovereignty of Taiwan..

[What was the official status pre-ww2?]

Chiang Kai Shek accepted the surrender of the Japanese on behalf of the victorious USA..

Did that make his proclamation of retrocession legal?

Taiwan's status today is left over from World War 2, not China's civil war.

{I understand that, and that makes the argument that it never broke from China as it was not part of China}

[Anonymous]

What is China's current official name?

People's Republic of China(PRC).

What was the official status pre-ww2?

It was part of Japan from 1995-1945 as a result of the Treaty of Shimonoseki.

Did that make his proclamation of retrocession legal?

Nope, but Chiang didn't care.

I understand that, and that makes the argument that it never broke from China as it was not part of China}

It was and is part of China. CKS, pretended it was China.

[cc]

Well, seems if it was run by Japan (no matter how it got to be), it was fair game after they surrendered  



& Chiang beat China to the draw

[Anonymous]

Well, seems if it was part of Japan (no matter how it got to be), it was fair game after they surrendered  & Chiang beat China to the draw

What happened to the sovereignty of Taiwan after Chiang acting as an agent of the victorious USA?



Did it automatically return to the then Republic of China as the generalissimo claimed?



No, that can only be accomplished through a treaty which is how Taiwan became part of the Empire of Japan..



Taiwan's soverignty has never been held by either the Republic of China or People's Republic of China for one day..



Chiang Kai Shek's authoritarian regime exercised effective territorial control over an area(Taiwan), but not sovereignty.

[Odinson]

What is China's current official name?

People's Republic of China(PRC).

What was the official status pre-ww2?

It was part of Japan from 1995-1945 as a result of the Treaty of Shimonoseki.

Did that make his proclamation of retrocession legal?

Nope, but Chiang didn't care.

I understand that, and that makes the argument that it never broke from China as it was not part of China}

It was and is part of China. CKS, pretended it was China.

Whats your social credit score?