Do you think Japan is a superpower like the US?

[1967100]

Think about it, they have the second highest GDP level after the US, they have a sizable navy and air force, their high tech industry is booming and will only get better as North Americans markets struggle with our lame technology.

They also have political stability, as evidented by the LDP staying in power for over 40 years straight, something that Canada or the US doesn't have (we swtich governments every decade from liberal to conservative and vice-versa, which shows we're not dedicated to politics).

Do you think Japan is a superpower?

[M.Dancer]

Think about it, they have the second highest GDP level after the US, they have a sizable navy and air force, their high tech industry is booming and will only get better as North Americans markets struggle with our lame technology.

They also have political stability, as evidented by the LDP staying in power for over 40 years straight, something that Canada or the US doesn't have (we swtich governments every decade from liberal to conservative and vice-versa, which shows we're not dedicated to politics).

Do you think Japan is a superpower?

They are neither a regional power or a super power. They are however an economic power.

[bush_cheney2004]

Japan thought it was a superpower in the 1930's. It didn't work out.

[oreodontist]

They are neither a regional power or a super power. They are however an economic power.

True. 'Economic power', however, is a bit elusive these days with the international flow of money in capital markets. It's really hard to judge how much actual influence on the world economy takes place within a particular country....and especially if judged by what the governmnet of that country can do.

The USA is THE world economic superpower with China catching up. The U.S. government has few tools other than money supply adjustments and tinkering here and there. Trade measures impact the world but they are more long term in implementing and consequences of them are difficult to isolate and assess. China, being an authoritarian state, has more power concentrated in leaders and might have more sway over future economic trends.

In some ways the EEC is an superpower at the macro level of impacting the world economy but it is even more restricted in action than the USA.

[eyeball]

No. Like most people in Germany, Japanese people have probably decided hegemony is not worth the effort. If only Americans would take a cue, and China. Unfortunately the Russians seem to be backsliding a bit, they've apparently resumed their Arctic bomber patrols of their Northern neighhbors borders. OTOH if Americans (including Canada) would take their cue...the Russians might chill out and relax.

[DogOnPorch]

Japan has neither the oil or rubber to make it a superpower. That was the problem in WW2 as well. Nice big modern carriers and battleships with no fuel to run them by 1944.

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In the first six to twelve months of a war with the United States and Great Britain I will run wild and win victory upon victory. But then, if the war continues after that, I have no expectation of success.

---Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto

[bush_cheney2004]

No. Like most people in Germany, Japanese people have probably decided hegemony is not worth the effort. If only Americans would take a cue, and China.

The Germans and Japanese had some help in reaching this conclusion. The American hegemon has been far more successful, justifying the "effort".

Unfortunately the Russians seem to be backsliding a bit, they've apparently resumed their Arctic bomber patrols of their Northern neighhbors borders. OTOH if Americans (including Canada) would take their cue...the Russians might chill out and relax.

Not sure what you mean here....NORAD bombers in addition to intercepts of Tu's?

[eyeball]

I read a story the other day about Canadian fighter jets scrambling to meet a pair of Russian Tu-95 Bear bombers that were detected approaching our border. It sounded like a typical Cold-war thing, with shadings of the recent posturing of Northern states over Artic soverignty thrown in for good measure.

The pilots just waved at reach other. I'm sure they'd probably roll their eyes at one another too at the suggestion that anyone actually felt threatened.

The Germans and Japanese had some help in reaching this conclusion. The American hegemon has been far more successful, justifying the "effort".

The American hegemon didn't know enough to quit when it was ahead. Nothing can justify the mess they're in now. I have little doubt that if Germany and Japan had 'won' the war they'd be just like the US today, over-extended, broke and demoralized. One way or another the conclusion would still be the same.

Establishing hegemony is like trying to push something to light speed. The closer you get the harder you have to push. Its a zero sum game in the end - you'll never get there no matter how hard you try.

[bush_cheney2004]

The American hegemon didn't know enough to quit when it was ahead. Nothing can justify the mess they're in now. I have little doubt that if Germany and Japan had 'won' the war they'd be just like the US today, over-extended, broke and demoralized. One way or another the conclusion would still be the same.

Quite the opposite..the Americans knew enough to push hard when the opportunity presented itself. We don't know what the US conclusion will be....but even so.....better to have been...than never at all.

Establishing hegemony is like trying to push something to light speed. The closer you get the harder you have to push. Its a zero sum game in the end - you'll never get there no matter how hard you try.

But that's what America is all about...trying anyway. I don't expect others to understand that...but some do...and join the struggle for light speed.

JFK said it better than I:

"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too. "

Edited May 12, 2008 by bush_cheney2004

[peter_puck]

Think about it, they have the second highest GDP level after the US, they have a sizable navy and air force, their high tech industry is booming and will only get better as North Americans markets struggle with our lame technology.

They also have political stability, as evidented by the LDP staying in power for over 40 years straight, something that Canada or the US doesn't have (we swtich governments every decade from liberal to conservative and vice-versa, which shows we're not dedicated to politics).

Do you think Japan is a superpower?

I guess it depends on your definition of superpower. It does not have nearly the navy/army/air force that the us does.

In terms of the economy, they don't have the MASSIVE debts that the US has. They don't have the bloated welfare state, or the bloated prison system or the bloated rednecks commuting 50 miles in his hummer either.

On the other hand, they don't have much in the way of natural resources. The US atleast has lots of coal, which

will save it from becoming a third world country - no matter how much dammage Bush does.

[bush_cheney2004]

In terms of the economy, they don't have the MASSIVE debts that the US has.

This is patently false....Japan is struggling with a huge debt problem (Y838.005 trillion at the end of 2007), and it runs at nearly 170% of GDP, far more than the Americans.

They don't have the bloated welfare state,

Well, yes they do if you consider what is happening because of age demographics.

or the bloated prison system or the bloated rednecks commuting 50 miles in his hummer either.

No, these are reserved for Canada and the US.

On the other hand, they don't have much in the way of natural resources. The US atleast has lots of coal, which will save it from becoming a third world country - no matter how much dammage Bush does.

Yes...Japan found that out the hard way.

[peter_puck]

This is patently false....Japan is struggling with a huge debt problem (Y838.005 trillion at the end of 2007), and it runs at nearly 170% of GDP, far more than the Americans.

As a country they do not have the debt problem the US does. If you take government debt as a percentage of GDP, the Japans debt is greater than the US, but you have to look at the whole picture. You have to look at consumer debt and corporate debt, as well as where the government debt is held.

In consumer and corporate debt, the US kicks ass (in a bad way).

Even if you look at the government debt, you should consider external vs internal debt. Japan holds a huge percentage of its own debt. The government may have large amounts of debt, but it is owned by Japenese people (Ie they have SAVINGS!!) . Where in the US, debt is owned by the Chinese while the average citizen owns 10K in credit card debt (I just made that figure up as an illustration).

If you look at this list

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_count...y_external_debt

Japan would rank near the bottom if you did external debt per capita. The US has roughly 15 to 20 times the amount of external debt the US does (per person).

[bush_cheney2004]

As a country they do not have the debt problem the US does. If you take government debt as a percentage of GDP, the Japans debt is greater than the US, but you have to look at the whole picture. You have to look at consumer debt and corporate debt, as well as where the government debt is held.

Debt is debt...regardless of who holds the notes....and Japan has a lot of it as a percentage of GDP...its economy. So does the UK. America has a much greater capacity to service such debt.

In consumer and corporate debt, the US kicks ass (in a bad way).

Yes, that's to be expected in the world's largest economy and market.

Even if you look at the government debt, you should consider external vs internal debt. Japan holds a huge percentage of its own debt. The government may have large amounts of debt, but it is owned by Japenese people (Ie they have SAVINGS!!) . Where in the US, debt is owned by the Chinese while the average citizen owns 10K in credit card debt (I just made that figure up as an illustration).

Less than half of US public debt is foreign held, and Japan/China hold less than half of that. Japan still holds more than China.

[Wilber]

Less than half of US public debt is foreign held, and Japan/China hold less than half of that. Japan still holds more than China.

It is the trend that concerns a lot of us.

[bush_cheney2004]

It is the trend that concerns a lot of us.

Why? At one point in the 1990's, Canada's debt to GDP ratio reached 70%. I was not worried in the least!

[Wilber]

Why? At one point in the 1990's, Canada's debt to GDP ratio reached 70%. I was not worried in the least!

Canadians were worried and ones with any brains get concerned when they see the US headed in the same direction.

[marcinmoka]

"Superpower" or "Superpower like the US"?

Obviously they are not the latter. In fact, no nation is, apart from the US. But a superpower on par with the likes of the other perm. SC members, of course. With that in mind, it may be high time to grant them a seat, along with India and Brazil.

[peter_puck]

Debt is debt...regardless of who holds the notes..

Not really. Which is worse, owing my wife $100 000 or owing the credit card company $100 000?

Who is better off, someone who has $100 000 in assets and owes $50 000, or someone who owes $25000 but has not assets ?