I feel Japan should continue to hold on to the US.

God knows what could happen to Japan if there's Chinese dominion.
Expulsion of all things Christian. :O

Since when is Japan Christian anyway? I think you got it confused with South Korea.

You could destroy everything Christian in Japan today and I bet tomorrow you wouldn't notice a single difference unless you looked real hard.

Hmm no more people on loud speakers standing on milk crates preaching about God in Japanese?

Look as long as they hand out those free tissue papers around streets of Tokyo, I'm happy.

I've been to Shanghai, and other parts of China, and so far I'm not impressed. China seeks to eclipse America as the world's greatest power, and all efforts made by the Chinese government in the last decade have been made toward this end.

Japan does not want to see this happen, regardless of what the politicians say. A greater China means a diminished America, and by extension, a diminished Japan.

China is a major trading partner with Japan, but then so is America. How balanced exactly is this trade? America is China's largest trading partner, but this trade is pretty much a one-way street, with the Chinese exporting vast amounts of products, while importing very little. Of $243 billion in trade between China and America, $201 billion went to China, and $42 billion went to America. Japan is the largest exporter of goods to China, sending China $79 billion worth of goods; but China's exports to Japan outweighed that amount by $28 billion.

China at the moment is importing goods and culture just as the Japanese did in the second half of the 19th century. Asia and the rest of the thinking world remembers where this road eventually led. China will import the minimum, just enough to copy it and reproduce it (China is famous for ignoring patents and copyrights). At one point these technologies will be wholly produced in China, and the necessity for importing them will end.

I see this as a problem for America, Japan, and other industrialized nations. China's rise can only come at our expense. That may be selfish, but looking after our own interests first is natural. Don't believe for a minute that China is thinking any differently.

Sangetsu, you would be absolutely correct in that analysis, but it also enforces my point that the Chinese goverment is smart when it comes to economic policies (of course these policies are tipped heavily towards the Chinese side).

Otherwise, we would have another Africa, all talk, no economic progress. Oh I sometimes wonder how else does the west think you could get rid of poverty?

I was just pointing out that you should avoid analogies that are factually wrong like China consumes less Japanese goods than California (unless California somehow accounts for 90% of all Japanese imports to the US).

I can't disagree more. All China cares about is $$ and how to get everyone rich. It doesn't care about political influence. When's the last time you heard China telling another country a lecture on what to do (apart from North Korea... but that's another issue). The interview with the Chinese Premier WenJiaBao by CNN clearly shows that China is not a superpower, China is still relatively poor, and that priority is given to economic progress. Why else do you think they keeps on drumming about this "Harmonius rise" sloagon.

China cuts economic deals with nasty regimes because it is 100% apathetic of other countries policies and doesn't stand on some moral high ground like the US. As long as there is $$ for China, it's a good deal. Of course it is also learning that totally ignoring who you deal with could really backfire (Sudan, Zimbabwe comes to mind).

At the end of the day, the government is too busy trying to provide everyone with bread and circus so it can continue the one party rule rather than worring about what's going on elsewhere. Fair enough I say.

Um... are you referring to the article? Because the politician isn't saying that they will move to become pro-China.

Also I don't see how continued thawing in Japanese-Chinese relations and distancing itself policy wise from the US will inherently lead to a diminished Japan/United States.

Is that a serious question?
China doesn't allow Christianity, even by mentioning it you get in trouble. If Japan is under China control, the ability to actually walk the streets of Japan and preach diminishes, greatly.
By your question you have to be one of those secular people, I really hope there aren't more of you here.

Your comment about Christianity was borderline idiotic and it shows just how little you know about China, Japan, or really, anything. It helps if you actually read the article yeah?

How about you get on the plane, go to the streets of Tokyo and just see how many people gives a stuff about Christianity?

Josh you are lucky.

Takeda: there are many people like that around here or anywhere.