Without public fanfare, Japan has been substantially rearming itself. The first link reports that Japan has “one of the largest defense budgets in the world, surpassing even China’s in recent years.” Given China’s well-reported and massive arms buildup, that statement really means a lot! Japan is reportedly putting much effort into developing a missile defense system for the Japanese islands. Given China’s military build-up and its deployment of many types of new cruise missiles, Japan’s efforts to develop anti-missile systems appear to me to be a most wise decision.
The second link reports that Japan is also relaxing its policy about the transfer of [American] nuclear weaponry through its territory, and that it has instituted a policy of shadowing Chinese warships with its own warships when China’s ships are near Japanese waters. The second link also cites the “strengthening of the Japan-US alliance,” and that Japanese missiles should also be used “to attack missiles bound for the USA.” This is a good sign of the deepening military ties between Japan and the USA, and it is consistent with my viewpoint of Ezekiel 38 that Japan and other Asian nations are mentioned in that prophecy as ones which will not attack the nations of the modern house of “Israel” when Russia, China, Iran and their allies attack the USA, the NATO nations and their allies at the end of our age.
The second link opines that the Japanese military buildup “would be certain to unnerve its Asian neighbors.” I’m not so sure. I think many Asian nations such as India and the “young tiger” nations of Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, etc. are more likely to be afraid of China’s warlike attitudes and see Japan as an ally against China’s expansionist military designs. Supporting my viewpoint are the final two links [3, 4] that nations in Southeast Asia are arming themselves with new weaponry due to fear of China. Vietnam is especially being provoked by China, which is likely the reason Vietnam decided to start drawing closer to the USA and hosted a visit by a US carrier battle group in joint naval maneuvers recently (see my August 11 blog). The links include the statement that “The nations of Southeast Asia are building up their militaries, buying submarines and jet fighters at a record price,” and they both make it clear that the nations of Southeast Asia fear China [not Japan] as the growing threat.
For more information about Japan and the “young tiger” nations of Asia’s Pacific Rim in biblical prophecy, please read my article about Japan‘s Role in Latter-Day Prophecy.
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