Trump says 'unfair' defense treaty with Japan needs to be changed

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

WORLD NEWS JUNE 29, 2019 / 4:58 AM / UPDATED 2 HOURS AGO

Trump says 'unfair' defense treaty with Japan needs to be changed

OSAKA (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said he told Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that a decades-old security treaty between their countries must be changed, reiterating his criticism of the pact as unfair.

Trump said he was not planning to withdraw from the treaty, which the partners have long called a linchpin of Asia-Pacific stability, but that it placed too great a burden on the United States.

“I told him, we’ll have to change it,” Trump told a news conference after a two-day summit of the Group of 20 major economies in Japan’s western city of Osaka.

“I said, look, if someone attacks Japan, we go after them and we are in a battle, full force, in effect,” he added. “If somebody should attack the United States, they don’t have to do that. That’s unfair.”

-snip-

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-g20-japan-trump/trump-says-unfair-defense-treaty-with-japan-needs-to-be-changed-idUSKCN1TU0AJ

[Wellstone ruled]

1. What a clueless

ignorant idiot.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. So, if another 9-11 happened, say in Buffalo, New York, Japan would be expected to

put its military in whatever country was harboring the terrorists?

[soryang]

3. Actually, this fits in with both Abe's and Trump's domestic audience agenda

Abe wants to wants to expand Japan's international military posture and play to conservative domestic audiences. Trump wants to encourage Japan's role in the Indo-Pacific, jawbone the Japanese after Japan's elections this month concerning military cost sharing, and play to his audience in the US.

Unfortunately for South Korea, Trump's statements quoted in this article cited in the OP fueled speculation, that Trump unrealistically expected Japan's "self defense forces," to play some role on the Korean peninsula if war were to break out there.

The United Nations Command stationed alongside US Forces Korea at Camp Humphreys had to issue a denial of at least one South Korea broadcast on July 11, that contended this might be in the offing. The Channel A News Top Ten report concerning Japan's possible expanded military reach didn't go over well in light of their troubled 20th Century history until the end of WWII, the current deteriorating relationship between the countries and the recent outbreak of a Japan-South Korea "trade war.". Additionally, the State Department press office had to issue statements regarding the strength of the respective alliances and the need for unity among the US, South Korean and Japan.

Here is the UNC update issued on July 11:

CAMP HUMPHREYS, PYEONGTAEK, Republic of Korea —
United Nations Command continues to work closely with members of the Republic of Korea government on all aspects of the UNC organizational structure.

News reports alleging Japan being considered as a potential Sending State are flagrantly false. UNC has not offered, nor has Japan requested Sending State designation.

UNC is focused on maintaining peace and security on the peninsula as it has successfully done for more than 69 years to the great benefit of the region. Furthermore, as a top priority, UNC endeavors to support diplomatic efforts to find a lasting peace.

“UNC strives to work transparently and effectively with our participating member states and the Republic of Korea.,” said Gen. Robert B. “Abe” Abrams, UNC commander.

UNC is the home for international commitments which provides a ready-made coalition of longstanding friends and support, including in times of crisis. UNC is committed to a stable transition to a new combined defense system following the transfer of wartime operational control to a ROK four-star led Combined Forces Command. There is no plan to make UNC an operational command. Any suggestions otherwise are patently false.

https://www.usfk.mil/Media/Press-Releases/Article/1901477/unc-update/