A Return to Normalcy

China's rising power, North Korea's nuclear threat, and Russian refusal to discuss the status of islands north of Japan captured by Russia from Japan are leading the Japanese to think about shedding their pacifist outlook and reliance on America for their security from foreign threats:

A Japanese government panel will recommend deploying more armed forces in coastal areas that have seen heavy Chinese naval traffic and relaxing rules on nuclear arms transfers, media reported Tuesday.

The expert panel argues that Japan's Cold-War era defence guidelines have become outdated and that the pacifist nation must prepare for "contingencies" on the Korean Peninsula and in the Taiwan Strait, and small-scale invasions.

The recommendations will be sent early next month to Prime Minister Naoto Kan before Japan revises its defence guidelines in December, the Yomiuri Shimbun and Asahi Shimbun dailies reported without disclosing their sources.

All the talk of a rising China forgets that Japan rose long ago, economically, and has only to awaken a bit to be a major counter-weight to Chinese military power.

And Japan is just one of many potential counter-weights to China's power.

I would not trade positions with China.