[HN Gopher] Pacifist Japan unveils biggest military build-up sin...
       ___________________________________________________________________
        
       Pacifist Japan unveils biggest military build-up since World War
       Two
        
       Author : rntn
       Score  : 22 points
       Date   : 2022-12-18 18:52 UTC (4 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.reuters.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.reuters.com)
        
       | bradhe wrote:
       | Japan has historically had a culture of waffling between being
       | extremely open to the outside world and being extremely insular.
       | The period is measured in decades, probably up to 100 years.
       | Wonder if this is correlated with a cultural shift that peaked in
       | the 1980s?
        
       | missedthecue wrote:
       | I think the biggest problem for a credible japenese military
       | build up is getting enough young men. Isnt Japan the oldest
       | country with one of the lowest birth rates?
       | 
       | And aside from the demographic problem, I've read that they have
       | a real cultural social stigma attached to military service.
        
         | kmlx wrote:
         | Percentage of population over 65 years:
         | 
         | Japan 29%
         | 
         | Italy 24%
         | 
         | Finland 23%
         | 
         | Greece 23%
         | 
         | Portugal 23%
         | 
         | Germany 22%
         | 
         | France 21%
         | 
         | Canada 20%
         | 
         | from: https://www.statista.com/statistics/264729/countries-
         | with-th...
         | 
         | europe is getting old. i remember some political leader over
         | there saying something along the lines "europe's share of
         | wealth and youth will keep decreasing"
        
       | strangattractor wrote:
       | Maybe North Korean will reconsider the wisdom of shooting
       | missiles over them.
        
       | sorokod wrote:
       | There is a non negligible probability that Russia will fracture.
       | 
       | It is good to be prepared for the shit storm that follows.
        
       | Leary wrote:
       | This has been years in the making. Not surprising after they
       | built 2 carriers with F-35s on them and called them "Destroyers"
        
       ___________________________________________________________________
       (page generated 2022-12-18 23:02 UTC)