U.S. vows to defend Japan if conflict erupts in East China Sea

[Jesus Malverde]

Source: The Japan Times

Secretary of State John Kerry vowed Friday that the United States would defend Japan against attack, even in conflicts involving islands claimed by China and Taiwan, as tensions continue to boil between the Asian powers.

Kerry, who said he would visit China next week, met in Washington with Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and reaffirmed the 1960 treaty that commits the United States to protect its ally.

“That includes with respect to the South China Sea,” he said, before correcting himself to say the East China Sea, where China and Japan have conflicting claims.

snip

“The United States neither recognizes nor accepts China’s declared East China Sea ADIZ and the United States has no intention of changing how we conduct operations in the region,” Kerry said.

Read more: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/02/08/national/u-s-vows-to-defend-japan-if-conflict-erupts-in-east-china-sea/#.UvacVHlGXOE

[RoccoR5955]

1. Not another war brewing?!?!?!

This endless war is getting me sick.
So the US will go to war with China if China attacks Japan?
This is totally nuts!

[sulphurdunn]

3. The US is bound by treaty

to defend Japan and will do so. That should be enough to deter the Chinese from doing anything foolish. Since the US wants no war in East Asia, there will be no war.

[cstanleytech]

4. No, the US will not go to war but they will defend an ally which in this case is japan

if japan is attacked by china.
Hopefully though cooler heads will prevail and both sides will realize that a war over two small specks of land just isnt worth it.

[TxVietVet]

5. When Japan did it's unconditional surrender at the end of WWII

the US is bound by that treaty to defend Japan. If any country attacks Japan, it's our obligation to come to Japan's defense. The Communist Chinese (aka the love of the US Chamber of Commerce) and the Russians know this. So, they tread lightly.
Now, the Communist Chinese can play a few games with the US now that it's producing lots of "US" consumer goods.

Let's see what happens.

[TheMathieu]

2. Good. We need to stick by our allies. nt

[cvoogt]

6. better watch out

China has an 'aircraft carrier'

[Psephos]

12. they soon will have four n/t

[cvoogt]

14. the real danger is economic

that's a bad number for feng shui .. sounds like "death" in Cantonese. Apt.

[mazzarro]

7. So does this mean that if Japan starts the war - the USA is bound to support Japan? -- n/t

[cstanleytech]

9. Depends on what the treaty we have with them says though if they start it

my bet is on the US giving them the middle finger and telling them to kiss our butts.

[jsr]

10. The treaty is to "resist armed attack"

"against
 either
 Party
 in
 the
 territories
 under
 the
 administration
 of 
Japan"

[L0oniX]

8. Wal-mart will have to contribute more campaign money to fix this.

[onwardsand upwards]

11. The US is rattling its sabre ...

... because the treaty makes the US look weak if it doesn't.

If China called the US's bluff, though, the US would re-assess what is in its own best interests, going forward.

The US would never go to war to meet the agreements made in a treaty, unless this was deemed to be in their own best interests.

You cannot trust any nation, especially the reigning imperial power, to honour treaties that are no longer useful to them. That's just the way the world works.

[Psephos]

13. yep - well observed n/t