Calmer Seas: Japan and China to Resume Fleet Visits

Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force and the People's Republic of China's Navy have announced they will be resuming fleet visits. They haven't done this since 2011, so this is a good thing. Japanese news sources say that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will make the formal announcement with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang when they meet in Beijing this week. By no means does this resolve the crisis in the South China Seas or Chinese claims to the Senkaku Islands, but the unilateral thaw in tensions is a step in the right direction to de-escalate growing hostilities between the two competing maritime powers. We hope this will lead to further talks that result in better cooperation and peace on the high seas.

China's Stealth Bomber Revealed

Seen here is Beijing's latest piece of military hardware, the Xian H-20 Stealth Bomber spotted over a gala held on October 7th. According to sources, this is only the prototype and will not enter service until 2025. Observers will note the striking similarity to the Grumman B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber but the similarities will end there. The Chinese are twenty years behind us in this field of technology and still has much to learn or steal depending on your perspective. Not too much has been revealed by the Chinese but at this rate, that's all we need to know.

Ignorance Abroad: Trump Visits Japan

In a week that earlier saw Donald Trump make a historically ignorant complaint of how a nation of "Samurai Warriors" could allow missiles not to be shot down, our American Embarrassment arrived in Japan. We presume that no one has bothered to tell him that there has been no Samurai since the end of the Boshin War of 1869 or that PM Shinzo Abe is not the Shogun. None of this of course would make any difference to this man as he would just move on with his lack of finesse or patience for Japanese traditions of subtleties. In his typically reckless tough talk, he had earlier warned the People's Republic of China about the potential big problem they would have with "Warrior Japan" if they didn't reign in North Korea. Granted Japan has a small capable Self Defense Force, it is nowhere the size of the military of Imperial Japan or that of present day China. Such tough talk drenched in ignorance could only be topped off with his own crassness by his disrespect before the Heisei Emperor who he would not bow to but rather shake his hand like he was at some board meeting to dumping an entire box of fish food in a koi pond. How Shinzo Abe puts up with this man is beyond me. It's our hope Japan does not judge America by this crude vulgar man whose regime is under criminal investigation by Special Prosecuter Robert Mueller. It's been suggested that Abe may be taking advantage of Trump's ignorance to quietly "unshackle" Japan's post war military restrictions. It's difficult to say given how they photograph playing golf and later reported foregoing traditional Japanese fare for cheesey American hamburgers. What he will do to embarass us in next in his 12 day Asia tour remains to be seen. We at home will continue to cringe with every headline.

Pyongyang Posturing

This week has seen the U.S. Third Fleet change its plans. In the recent wake of increased tensions with the DPRK, the Navy canceled the scheduled port of calls in Australia and re-directed the U.S.S. Carl Vinson (CV-70) and it's carrier group to take up station within the sphere of the Korean Peninsula.  Under normal circumstances this would seem like routine posturing to let the rogue nation and it's "Dear Leader" that the United States stands ready to defend it's South Korean & Japanese allies. What is troubling is not so much the threats coming out of Pyongyang but rather from our own new regime of amateurs whose sole foreign consistency has been its own unpredictability. Particularly when Trump claims to know more than his generals and takes his foreign policy advice from his handbag designer daughter and inexperienced son in law. This makes for a dangerous mix especially when you count the PRC's recent deployment of 150,000 ground troops along North Korea's northern border. We at American Mishima are counting on Secretary of Defense "Mad Dog" Mattis and our Naval Commanders in the Third Fleet to use caution and not indulge the impulsive whims of our unpredictable part time leader who spends more time golfing at his Florida resorts and Tweeting threats than actually governing. This should make for interesting conversation in Beijing and nervousness in Seoul & Tokyo. As we have said many times, may cooler heads prevail.

Ultimate Chinese Finger Trap For Twitter Fingers?

For many reasonable Americans, we have only begun to live through a bad dream we can't wake up from. The "Donald" as he is known had used every underhanded means at his disposal to win the American Presidency. This is a man who outside of an International Beauty Pageant has absolutely no experience in international diplomacy and is way in over his head but can't get past his own. So what does he do to handle tough situations such as the recent moves on the part of the PRC? He goes to Twitter and rants like a third grader at China. This is bad for a lot of people and not just Americans. For the first time since the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War, the People's Republic of China has America at a serious disadvantage. 4000 years of Chinese Culture versus an unstable Reality TV Host who can't stop attacking people on Twitter. This could not be any more embarrassing or dangerous. America and China while at odds over the South China Seas have interdependent trade balances of which the PRC has underwritten much of our debt and does not take too kindly by the Donald's Twitter rants. This of course plays right into Beijing's hands requiring little or no effort on the part of the PRC. This is a man anyone even yours truly can bait with a single Tweet. Just imagine what the skilled strategists in the PLA will have in store for this amateur who lacks the temperament to lead the free world. It will be the ultimate Chinese Finger Trap and America's interests are going to take a serious hit from a predictable self inflicted wound. Anyone who has ever watched Chinese Martial Arts films can tell you that you never tread lightly against a skilled master. They don't make Sun Tzu for Dummies and if they did this man would not read it. And with the circle of "advisors" (such as his own children) the Donald has surrounded himself with, we pray that our young people serving in our military do not pay the ultimate price of this man's narcissistic ego which will get the better of him and make other Americans pay for his foolishness. 

These are dark times for America. We expect the Chinese to do whatever it is in their interests and we can not fault them for doing so. While we may have differences of opinions, we do need to continue work together. Our new "Leader" however seems determined to undo years of cooperation to satisfy his right wing political base at home while ignoring the consequences of his name calling abroad. It would be foolish for him to rant like a school yard bully on Twitter and then ignore the consequences. This is no longer Reality TV nor is it a game show where he can say "You're Fired" and walk away. This is a dangerous world we live in. We only hope that those in Beijing who visit our page to read this know that many of us here DO NOT want a war with the PRC. But with aggressive moves made on the part of the Chinese Navy in the South China Seas, we can only expect a war of words from our side that could potentially get seriously out of hand. The Donald loves to point his undersized fingers and the worst thing he can do right now is point them at China. We hope the skilled masters in Beijing exercise patience for this new learner is going to make mistakes. Let's just hope no one gets killed because of it. In the event this does happen, we Americans who opposed this reckless demagogue in our 2016 Presidential Election apologize in advance. 抱歉

Strange Bedfellows or Spirit of Cooperation? US-China Plan Joint Excercises

With all that is going on in the region, a most unexpected move was announced earlier this week. CNN had posted reports that spokesmen from both the United States and the PRC have both announced that the two countries plan to hold joint military exercises this November 13-18th 2016 to focus on Disaster Relief Missions. The Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported that China's military spokesperson Wu Qian said in a recent briefing: "The scenario of the joint exercise and exchange is professional disaster relief in high-altitude regions. It consists of three phases, namely, academic exchange, command post exercise and live troop exercise." While only a small number of PLA and US Military personal will take part in this exercise, it is our hope that this spirit of cooperation can be built upon and perhaps the current tensions could be eased. With rising climate related disasters on the rise, it is up to the nations of the world to put aside their petty differences and come together in times of need. Whiles these exercises won't solve all the outstanding issues on the South China Seas, it can in some small part lay the ground work for future cooperation in humanitarian and disaster relief efforts where our two great countries resources can be used in tandem for good. We at American Mishima hope to see more of this.

Imperial Passing: Prince Mikasa Dies at 100

On October 27th 2016, Japan's Imperial Household Agency reported that Prince Mikasa had passed away. He was the oldest living member of the Imperial Family. Born in December 1915, he was the son of Emperor Taisho and the youngest brother of Emperor Hirohito (Showa) and lived through the reign of three Emperors (Taisho-Showa-Heisei). The late Prince Mikasa served as an Officer in the Japanese Imperial Army and fought as a Captain under the name "Wakasugi" in the Second Sino-Japan War. He is noted for being very outspoken critic of Japanese wartime atrocities in China. In a 1994 interview he said he was shocked by the use of live Chinese prisoners for bayonet practice. What impact his protest had is not known.

In 1940, he was shown films of using germ warfare in China that outraged him enough to force his brother the Showa Emperor top watch it. After the war he opposed After the war the Prince spoke before the Privy Council strongly urging the Showa Emperor to abdicate and take responsibility for the war. While the Prince is still seen as a controversial figure in China, one must give him credit for speaking up to what Japan's forces in China had done. While much of Prince Mikasa's wartime history is disputed in China, he became a figure for peace in the post war years. Men who have seen the horrors of war tend to do this and the Prince was no exception. He would go on to pursue academia in Tokyo University and is noted for his Middle Eastern Studies. On 2 December 2015, Prince Mikasa became the first member of the imperial family to live to 100. On his 100th birthday, he was quoted as saying: "Nothing will change just because I turn 100 years old. I'd like to spend my days pleasantly and peacefully while praying for the happiness of people around the world and thanking my wife, Yuriko, who has been supporting me for more than 70 years." He spent his final moments with his wife Princess Yuriko Mikasa (seen in photo below). It is said he outlived all of his siblings and all three of his sons.

 

We at American Mishima wish the Prince peace and farewell.

Getting Real on Yonaguni Island

Japan's Defense Ministry has announced the opening of a new radar facility on Yonaguni Island. Never heard of it before? If you love underwater archeology (Or Ancient Astronaut Theory), chances are you have heard of the famous Yonaguni Monument. But getting back to our post, this move on the part of Japan's SDF is a significant one. The Defense Ministry has further announced that it has now stationed 160 troops to maintain this new radar facility on Yonaguni Island (part of Okinawa Prefecture) 60 miles from Taiwan giving Japan a back window into what the PRC is up to in the South China Seas. Naturally, there have been some fierce protests from Beijing that include calls for boycotts of Japanese products. All talk is fine but with the artificial island building (for the purpose of Militarizing the South China Sea) on the part of the PRC in international waters and claims of Chinese Sovereignty far beyond the shores of the Chinese mainland has forced Japan to step up it's game. By establishing this base, Japan will have an early warning should trouble break out with the Chinese Navy. We of course it doesn't come to that. As our Chinese friends would say "it's bad for business." Trust me, war is very bad business and nobody wants that. Let's continue to pray that cooler heads will prevail. 

Political Statement or Bad Taste?

Seen here (in this Exclusivepix photo) are Chinese WWII re-enactors or mall employees at a shopping mall in the Chinese city of Taiyuan performing executions of Imperial Japanese Army Soldiers to mark the 77th anniversary of the Japanese invasion of the Chinese mainland. While this might have been done to promote sales this Anti-Japanese themed mock executions is clearly in bad taste. While this might not offend anyone in China who still harbor hard feelings about the war, it's not the way to move forward. While this is just one man's opinion, the fact remains that the war is over and mock beheadings are no laughing matter.

China's Dangerous Game

Over the past month the People's Republic of China have been engaged in a war of words with neighboring Japan over the long disputed Sankaku Islands in the East China Sea. As the saber rattling between the two nations escalated, the PRC declared a "Air Defense Identification Zone" which over lapped into Japan's existing Air Defense Identification Zone which includes the small group of tiny uninhabited Islets claimed by both nations. As part of our security alliance with Japan, the United States has chosen not to recognize the new PRC zone over the Senkakus.

In a move that was meant to demonstrate where the USA stands on the issue, two USAF B-52's were dispatched to enter China's declared zone and deliberately fly over the disputed resource rich islands. This of course does not sit well with Beijing's Defense Ministry. While unarmed, the B-52's flying from their base in Guam has sent a clear message to the PRC that the United States stands by it's ally Japan. This has been met with a formal complaint from Beijing calling the move both unjustified and irresponsible effectively telling us to but out and not take side with Japan.

Japan and the People's Republic of China normalized relations in 1978 but up until now Beijing has turned a blind eye to Japanese administration which dates back to 14 January 1895 during the Meiji era. It is possible that the recent speculation of potential oil resources may be the real motivation for the dispute. In any case, no one is anticipating an out break of war between China and Japan. However with the PRC moving it's one aircraft carrier into the region and with continual escalation of tensions between the two nations, incidents can happen. Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the naval forces of the PRC continue to come within close proximity of each other with each nation scrambling fighter jets with each further escalation. We at American Mishima hope for the sake of all nations that a peaceful solution can be found.