NK: US & Japan Plotting an Attack on North Korea
The Norks are accusing the US & Japan of plotting an invasion of North Korea.
North Korea has accused Japan of aspiring to rule a “Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere” beginning with an invasion of Korea with the assistance of the United States.
Rodong Sinmun, North Korea’s state newspaper, said Sunday the Japanese had joined with the United States’ “vicious hostile policy” toward North Korea and that the “military threat” they perceive from the Koreans “is a far-fetched allegation fabricated by themselves.”
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North Korea’s use of the term “Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere” harkens back to Japan’s brutal domination of East Asia before and during World War II. The term described how Tokyo, under the guise of ridding the region of Western influence, set up puppet governments to establish Japanese hegemony and plunder foreign resources.
Most interesting about the article is the publicly aknowledged close relationship the US and Japan currently have and the security agreement publicly made concerning Taiwan.
In the joint statement, the ministers “reaffirmed the continuing strength and vitality of U.S.-Japan security arrangements, and expressed confidence in their capacity to deter and address challenges to regional peace and stability.”
“I can’t think of a time when the relationship has been closer or more constructive,” Rumsfeld said at the news conference.
“We value that in the United States and benefit from it and certainly understand that it remains a key pillar of peace and stability in the Asian Pacific region and a benefit to the world.”
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Of the U.S.-Japanese declaration Blumenthal said, “Taiwan will welcome this. Taiwan will feel less isolated regionally. And usually, historically, we have found that when Taiwan is less isolated, it is less willing to act rashly … the notion that the U.S. and Japan care about Taiwan’s security will pave the way for a decrease in tensions in the Straits over time.”
China quickly criticized the United States and Japan for meddling in its internal security affairs relating to Taiwan. China’s Foreign Ministry issued a response through Xinhua, the official China news agency.
“Chinese government and people resolutely opposes the United States and Japan in issuing any bilateral document concerning China’s Taiwan, which meddles the internal affairs of China, and hurts China’s sovereignty,” the Foreign Ministry said.
This appears to me to be an effort by the US to put pressure on China to make concessions on the North Korean nuclear issue. Relations between Japan and China must really be at rock bottom for the Japanese to come out and make such a statement publicly knowing what the reaction in China will be because I don’t know what the Japanese get out of making such a public statement. The only thing I can think of is that Japan will get stronger support from the US to receive a UN security council seat but they will have to avoid a Chinese veto which giving support to Taiwan publicly like they have will certainly mean. Once again it will be interesting to see how this all plays out.
