[img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9e/Flag_of_Japan.svg[/img] Tokyo, Shinzo Abe’s office Prime minister Shinzo Abe was enjoying his first cup of coffee of the day when he suddenly by a few knocks on the door of his office. He looked up from the documents in front of his as the minister of foreign affairs entered the room and bowed before him. “Sit down, Fumio-san. I hope you bring good news today” Fumio Kishida sat down and brought out the reports he received this morning. “I am here to inform you that the Prime Minister of South-Korea declines the invitation to attend the Asain-Pacific Security Summit and also declines our generous offer of a defensive military pact. It seems that prime minister Kang is worried that signing a pact would enrage North-Korea and China.” The news that the South-Koreans would not join did not come as a surprise to Shinzo Abe. The relations between Japan and Korea have been complicated since the end of WWII. Both countries have a different view on their shared history which lead to diplomatic tensions. The Japanese prime minister sighed “I was kind of expecting such an awnser from mister Kang. He is more worried about the wrath of the communists today then their ambitions of tomorrow. It seems that the Korean government fails to realise China’s economic and military potential. The People’s republic has come a long way in the last 20 years and have the ability to surpass the US in the next 20 years. It is a shame that the Koreans refuse the option to make a united stand against the Juggernaut China might become.” [hider=To Prime Minister Kang – South Korea] Dear Kang Seo Yeon, The Japanese government finds it unfortunate that South-Korea refuses to participate in the Asian-Pacific security summit and a possible military pact. We believe that mutual coorperation between the countries of the Asian-Pacific region will be benificial towards a long lasting peace. We regret your decision to refuse this oppertunity for closer ties between our nations. Although you refused our offer the Japanese government will always be open to diplomatic talks with South-Korea. Yours sincerely, Prime minister Shinzo Abe of Japan. [/hider] Tokyo, Japanese ministry of defense Akio Shigunemi’s eyes went from his computerscreen to his watch and back. 10 more minutes until he could go home. Eight more minutes until all the files where copied to his USB tumb stick. He could feel the tension as the looked at the filename “Project-J: Japanese re-armement program”. The file has been tagged TOP SECRECT but due to human error of the IT department made available for the lowly civil servent Akio Shigunemi. He could not control his curiosity and had opened the file. What he had read in there deeply worried the man. He quickly looked around to see if any of his co-workers where looking at him but they all seem to mind their own business. Suddenly his pc gave a small beep to indicate that the file transfer was complete. Akio quickly grabbed the USB stick, put it in his pocked, pressed the shut down button on his computer and walked away from his desk. He hastly walked across the hallway to the elevator and waited. As the elevator door opened two security guards left the cabin and much to his relief ignored him. As the elevator went down to the first floor Akio could feel his heart racing. Just the realization of the fact that he was smuggling top secret government information made sweat run down his head. As he entered the main lobby he walked passed the security checkpoint and quickly greeted the security staff on his way out. Rather than going left towards the Underground Akio crossed the street and entered the Internet Cafe across the street. He quickly plugged the USB stick in the nearest computer and entered www.wikileaks.com in the browser. On this dark December night, the top secret re-armament plans of Shinzo Abe’s government where disclosed the the entire world. [hider=] Project-J: Japanese re-armement program 2015-2025 Overview: Project-J is an extensive re-armament program for the comming 10 years. It’s goal is to give Japan the military assets required to ensure that China cannot invade the home islands nor close Japans vital Sea lanes of communication. In short, Japan needs to become the superior naval force in the Asian-Pacific region. Also the Japanese government plans to work more closely together with regional partners in the theatre. In order to be of value to such partners more offensive capabilities needs to be aquired within the next 10 years. Such capabilities are in sharp contradiction with article 9 of the constitution. Therefor it will be vital to rename certain aspects in order to downplay its offensive potential. Especially since many of the proposed projects have not yet passed the Diet. Key will be in confincing the public that all the new assets are stricktly for defense and not for force projection. It is estimated that by 2025 Japans military budget will be at or surpassed the 100 billion dollar per year mark. Making Japan the 3th largest spender behind China and USA. The Self-defence force is expected to reach 650.000 personell per januari 2025. [b]Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces[/b] Type Number active in 2015 Active in 2025 Aircraft Carrier 75.000 tonnes displacement program. 0 4 Helicopter destroyer (light aircraft carriers) 4 6 Attack submarines 17 40 Guided missle destroyers 8 20 Destroyers 19 34 Frigates 17 33 Landing platform dock 3 3 Amphibious Assault Ship 0 4 Most notable ship building programs: - Large Helicopter Destroyer Program: The LHD program aims to build 4 ships which are similair in size and capabilities as the Brittisch Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. The LHD will use a electro magnetic catapult and the F-35C will be the primary aircraft flown from the LHD. - Amphibious Assault Ship Program: 4 Wasp-class ships will be bought from the US. The Wasp-class ships can be equiped with VSTOL capable aircraft. - Two more Izumi-class Helicopter Destroyers will be constructed. Fleet air arm expansion - 140 F-35C will be aquired to form the core of the LHD carrier air group - 96 F-35B will be aquired for operations from the Wasp and Izumi class ships. - Aditional helicopters and V22-Osprey’s will be aquired for transport, SAR and ASW missions [b]Japanese Air Self-Defense force[/b] The MoD wishes to increase Japans capacity to defend its own and allied airspace and support multilateral opetations. Studies show that the again fleet of F4 and Mitsubishi F-2 multirole fighters needs to be replaced. Also the F-15 fleet is beginning to close in on the end of its lifespan. Heavy emphasis is placed on the Misubishe ATD-X stealth fighter program. Design and tests are progressing in a much more rapid pace then publicly is known. Flight testing of the airframe and engine show very promising results and indigious produced technologies are at least on par with the international competition. By 2025 the JASDF will be at least doubled in size have the current inventory of combat aircraft - 300 F-35A Multirole fighters - 350 Mitsubishi F-3 Shinshin Air superiority fighters Mitsubishi Heavy Industries recently procured the license to produce all 3 F-35 models in Japan. [b]Japan Ground Self-Defence Force[/b] The JGSDF will grow to a full combat force of 350.000 personell by 2025. All proffesionaly trained and with the most modern equipment possible. Part of this size increase is the formation of a maritime infantry corps consiting 25.000 personell. The aim of the plans will be to create a more mobile and easily deployable force. The focus will be on a class of lighter air portable vehicles to support rapid deployment to any hotspot on remote islands. [/hider]