Originally posted by ndmmxiaomayi:
I see. It all depends on how they want to use it. Everything and anything, no matter how good, can be abused. If Japan don't abuse it, then that's good. If Japan decides to abuse it, then we all suffer.
How else can they use it, if it's in the law. Japan already host US staging bases in Honshu and Okinawa. But by allowing commercial entity to be use, means that the US would be able to flood troops thru out Japan. So, no longer just those bases are military targets.
In the Korean and Vietnam War, Japan was ultilise as a stagging and R&R bases for US. But those are third world countries. Conflict in the Japan areas are Russia and China, They will be stupid if they don't consider Japan as an important legitimate target. These are countries with balistic and cruise missles, and large airforces. They are not Iraq. Many people were questioning why Saddam didn't attack the coalition forces first, than to wait for them to be large and ready. China and Russia will not allow that to fester. If they attack Japan, US will have an instant determined Ally.
When attacked. Will the avg Japanese blame the attacking countries or US & their own government for baiting it. By then, will that change anything ?
In other words, it is as good as drafting another Taiwan Relation act extension to US - japanese version. US involvment equals japanese participation.