Shigeru Ishiba and Japan's Evolving Role in the American Empire

https://reihotakeuchi.substack.com/p/the-new-japanese-prime-ministers

Ishiba who assumed the office of prime minister in October is important because he represents new thinking in terms of Japan's role in the Asia-Pacific and its relationship with the United States. A member of the Far-Right Nippon Kaigi faction (which has a significant presence in the ruling LDP), he seems to represent two tendencies - one, to strengthen Japan's relationship with Washington and build a NATO-type alliance in the Pacific, and two, resentment of US domination and a wish for Japan to re-establish its autonomy and take its place among the great powers.

Memories of Dictatorship in South Korea

https://consortiumnews.com/2024/12/03/south-koreas-6-hour-martial-law/

In what seemed like a power grab, President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law but when challenged he backed down. Now the fallout.

Expanding NATO into the Indo-Pacific

https://www.euractiv.com/section/defence-and-security/news/eu-to-press-south-korea-to-provide-ukraine-with-ammunition/

https://www.reuters.com/world/nato-open-japan-office-enable-indo-pacific-consultation-report-2023-05-03/

Led by the United States, NATO is attempting to expand into the Asian theatre in preparation for war with China. NATO is opening an office in Japan, and the US in addition to strengthening ties with Australia, the Philippines and other nations, is preparing to negotiate for new bases in Papua New Guinea.

Dominionism and its Bestial Theologians

https://billmuehlenberg.com/2023/01/17/douglas-macarthur-christianity-and-japan/

All I can say is 'wow'.

The way that Bill Muehlenberg manages to distort both history and Scripture is nothing short of remarkable.

The Offensive Nature of Missile Defense Systems

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2023/03/06/south-korea-kill-web/

This ship has long sailed and the situation between North and South Korea is a bit different due to the geopolitics, unresolved conflict, and sheer proximity, but the systems outlined in this article demonstrate what must be called the offensive nature of missile defense systems.

South Korea: A Satrapy Adrift

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3161488/south-korea-doesnt-need-pick-between-us-china-says-presidential

From the moment he was elected in 2017, the US has not been happy with South Korean president Moon Jae-in. A member of the Korean Left and insufficiently militant, he represents the political heritage in South Korea that has been resistant to US domination – the same faction which began to openly rebel from US control in the late 1980's. In South Korea and the rest of the world, this period marks South Korea's embrace of democracy and the setting aside of US-sponsored authoritarian rule.

Cold War II: Putting Pressure on China

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/08/05/india-indigenous-aircraft-carrier/

Indian tanks have been seen on maneuvers less than thirty miles from the Chinese border in Ladakh. While the Ladakh-Tibet border does not represent an existential threat to Beijing, the area has been contentious since the two modern nations were formed in the 1940's. China doesn't want to see any kind of turmoil or trouble on the Tibet border – but you can be sure Washington is doing all it can to encourage India to make that trouble.

Asia is Marching Toward War

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/05/20/japan-must-speed-up-defense-says-minister/

Though it is often presented as a preventative measure, a type of peace through strength, the truth is militarism always results in conflict. And Japan has been rattling the sabre for some time. The Japanese Right is eager to re-arm and re-assert its traditional role in the Asian theatre. They view Japan as a great power on par with Western nations and now 75 years after its defeat in WWII – it's time for Japan to re-assume its place.

Trump and the Asian Pivot

The US Navy has been doing something unusual, carrier swapping. Usually when one enters the Navy you more or less spend your career either plugged into the Atlantic or Pacific fleets. But due to personnel problems, the need to re-fuel existing craft (that would be nuclear refueling) and in order to keep the active or cutting edge on the Pacific side, the Navy has been in the process of swapping ships and crews between locations like San Diego and Norfolk.

Dissident Satraps and Arms Sales

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/07/13/pakistan-chooses-turkish-t129-attack-helos-to-replace-aging-fleet/

The helicopter being referred to is a Turkish variant of the well known Italian Augusta. The Turks have modified the design making it more suitable for operations in Anatolia and the Pakistanis are interested.  Their Bell manufactured Cobra fleet is aging.

21st Century Conscription, Militarism and Exemption

https://gulfnews.com/news/asia/south-korea/south-korea-says-bye-to-mandatory-conscription-1.2243840

https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1679867/flight-or-fight-conscription-misery-south-korea

For a few decades it seemed as if military conscription was something that would soon fade into memory, at least for Western nations. Many countries were doing away with it, even the über-militarist United States.

Basically ending conscription had more or less become associated with a host of Western modernist norms and progressive reforms. With the abolition of the death penalty, anti-racism laws and many other forms of legislation we're all too familiar with, the ending of forced military service seemed to be part of the package.

The fact that this trend seems to be reversing is both a cause for concern and a sign of the times.

South Korea's Almost Coup

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/korea-army-plot-coup-ousted-leader-power-56593736

The actual story here is that the South Korean (ROK) army doesn't act independently of the US. While officially the US doesn't take over operational control unless a war breaks out, practically speaking the South Korean military is a creature of Washington.

Remembering Jeju and a Forgotten Chapter of South Korean History

http://www.atimes.com/article/jeju-koreas-island-ghosts-dead-finally-find-voice/

Jeju Island and the massacres that took place in 1948-9 are a largely forgotten precursor to the Korean War which broke out the following year. Forgotten not only in the West even many in South Korea know little about these events. They were suppressed by the government for decades.

NATO on the Korean Peninsula

http://www.dw.com/en/nato-chief-calls-on-un-to-uphold-north-korea-sanctions/a-41193631

http://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/policies/view?articleId=150871

This story is something of a stunner and it has received almost no coverage in the West, certainly not in the American mainstream news.

NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg has been touring Japan and South Korea and even visited the contentious DMZ. What is the head of NATO doing in Northeast Asia on the Pacific Rim? The timing is also noteworthy as he's passing through just days before Donald Trump's visit to the region.

Proxy Sanctions: THAAD and the Republic of Korea

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2017/07/04/2017070401462.html

Beijing is angry about the US placement of the THAAD missile system in South Korea. With valid reason they view it as a threat and one pointed more at them, than the North Koreans. The rulers of China have decided to punish South Korea through business sanctions.

Asian Perspectives: South Korea's Generational Shift and the Life Ethic of China's Underground

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/05/south-korea-christians-election/525606/?utm_source=feed

This article was interesting if spiritually speaking a little disappointing. Christianity in South Korea is complex as its somewhat brief history. On the one hand it's good to see some questioning the 'conservative' political bent and the corruption inherent within the Mega-Church model and yet like so many reactions in American culture... the response can sometimes be just as bad.

Brave Christians on the Tumen Frontier

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2017/02/10/Report-China-arrests-four-Christian-missionaries-near-North-Korea-border/8641486780703/?utm_source=sec&utm_campaign=sl&utm_medium=14

There's an ongoing, heroic and very moving story that's been taking place in North Korea and in China's nearby region of Manchuria. It's a story of missionaries, refugees and an underground railroad. It's often a sad and very cruel story and yet there are some real shining lights, people who are labouring as Christians to reach out to escapees and in some cases help them embark on the long road to a new life in South Korea.

The Korean Peninsula: Stealth Ships and Military Exercises

The tensions continue to escalate. The statements issued by the Trump White House have only added to already existing tensions that have been brewing since Obama's announced 'Pivot' in 2011.

THAAD in South Korea

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2017/02/03/Russia-warns-South-Korea-of-consequences-if-THAAD-deployed/8951486133428/?utm_source=sec&utm_campaign=sl&utm_medium=6

Once again, the West portrays this as the US making a prudent move to 'block' Pyongyang. While there are legitimate fears when it comes to North Korea, the missile system placement is as much about Beijing and Moscow... and they know it.

Both China and Russia are being slowly encircled.

A New Black Sea Front within Cold War II

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-nato-russia-idUSKCN12P31W

The tension increases as both sides continue a process of escalation. This build-up is reminiscent of what occurred in 1983 as US exercises, rhetoric and posturing pushed the USSR to a point of paranoid frenzy. This culminated with the shoot-down of Korean Air Lines flight 007 near Sakhalin.