Is japan a vassal of the US?

[History buff33]

I mean think about it- there's that article 9 in Japan's constitution that forbids them from having an army, which was written by America. Their economy is based on America's economy. Japan supllies a lot of products to the US. And the US has many military bases there. <removed>

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[Bugfatty300]

For one they do have an army and a very advanced and powerful navy.

 

[amadeus]

No.

First, Japan can amend its constitution (it's been under consideration off-and-on since the mid-90s to allow Japan to expand its non-combatant military role.)

Second, if Japan is a vassal of the United States, what about a country like Canada? Nearly 80% of Canada's exports are bound for the U.S. market, yet Canada amazingly has its own foreign policy independent of the United States.

Third, Japan could remove the bases if it wanted to... but upsetting relations between the U.S. and Japan for no reason doesn't seem to be advantageous from the viewpoint of the present government, in either here or in America.

 

[tonberry]

No, not in the sense Cuba or other latin america countries were.

First of all, Japan constitution was written after the WW2 so they deserve the constitution they got now. However, if the need arise the US couldn't prevent Japan to amend it and build up it's military.

Bottom line, Japan can change it's policy without a revolution contrary to the examples I gave.

 

[History buff33]

No.

First, Japan can amend its constitution (it's been under consideration off-and-on since the mid-90s to allow Japan to expand its non-combatant military role.)

Second, if Japan is a vassal of the United States, what about a country like Canada? Nearly 80% of Canada's exports are bound for the U.S. market, yet Canada amazingly has its own foreign policy independent of the United States.

Third, Japan could remove the bases if it wanted to... but upsetting relations between the U.S. and Japan for no reason doesn't seem to be advantageous from the viewpoint of the present government, in either here or in America.

I actually consider Canada a vassal too.

 

[Tani Coyote]

I actually consider Canada a vassal too.

You must have a very loose definition of vassal then, if countries which we possess marginal influence over are our vassals...

I'd say better examples of US vassals are the governments of Iraq and Afghanistan, which seem to be more or less dependent on us, similar to the old vassal arrangement - where a larger entity protected a smaller entity in exchange for loyalty and some benefits such as payments.



All that said, I wish Japan was our vassal. Then we'd be able to annex them(it's been more than 60 years for goodness sakes! That's twice the minimum requirement of years in EU2!), and form a greater Pacific superstate, increasing America's population by 33% and surging our already 14 trillion dollar GDP forward by 4-5 trillion more dollars. We are nicely proportional in economic and population terms(them possessing about a third of what we do in each category), and so, they'd make a nice addition of, mmm, I'd say about 16 states.

America would also, by absorption of Japan, become a cultural and technological superpower, with an economy even larger than Europe's. We would finally be the ones providing all those nifty cartoons, videogames, and above all, bizarre culture. I mean, we're already considered oddballs by much of the world... might as well add Japan to the pot.

All wishful thinking on my part though, unfortunately...

 

[Masada]

Does it contribute half of its income to its master?

 

[The Imp]

I mean think about it- there's that article 9 in Japan's constitution that forbids them from having an army, which was written by America. Their economy is based on America's economy. Japan supllies a lot of products to the US. And the US has many military bases there. As I like to say America fingers and Japan Cums...

Something tells me you do not understand what the term "vassal" means.

 

[History buff33]

Something tells me you do not understand what the term "vassal" means.

Tell me your definiton. enlighten me, my master.

 

[Karalysia]

All that said, I wish Japan was our vassal. Then we'd be able to annex them(it's been more than 60 years for goodness sakes! That's twice the minimum requirement of years in EU2!), and form a greater Pacific superstate, increasing America's population by 33% and surging our already 14 trillion dollar GDP forward by 4-5 trillion more dollars. We are nicely proportional in economic and population terms(them possessing about a third of what we do in each category), and so, they'd make a nice addition of, mmm, I'd say about 16 states.

America would also, by absorption of Japan, become a cultural and technological superpower, with an economy even larger than Europe's. We would finally be the ones providing all those nifty cartoons, videogames, and above all, bizarre culture. I mean, we're already considered oddballs by much of the world... might as well add Japan to the pot.

All wishful thinking on my part though, unfortunately...

I can already imagine the permanent Democratic majority.

 

[ainwood]

Moderator Action: Don't let this become a nation-bashing thread.

 

[History buff33]

Moderator Action: Don't let this become a nation-bashing thread.

Why do mods have to poke their noses in everything. This is a forum.. Sh!t happens.

Moderator Action: Yes, this a forum. This is a forum with [rules]rules[/rules], two of which you've violated in this one post.
I suggest you read those rules with thought and start following them if you plan to stay here
You might find this surprising, but the overwhelming majority of the posters prefer the rules being enforced.

 

[JohnRM]

I would not call them full vassal states, but Canada, Japan, South Korea, and quite a few other countries are partial-vassals. Bottom line is that if and when the shtf, they will be entirely dependent upon the United States. I would think that, even at this point, the UK is somewhat of a vassal state, not as much as it was in WWII, but still.

 

[Verbose]

The US is a hegemon, and these places are dependent on it for crucial stuff to varying degrees. Thing about hegemons is that the situation is coproduced by those involved. Places like Japan et al. chose to follow the US lead about stuff. The US has lots of indirect influence, but can't actually order people about directly. It cuts down on immediate US options, but makes the situation more palatable and legitimate for countries depending on it.

So no, Japan is not a vassal. The US didn't want vassals in 1945.

 

[Shaihulud]

Japan has the worlds 7th largest military expenditure, after Germany.

 

[Deego3]

I would have thought that each state in America is a vassel of the federal government.

 

[useless]

Why do mods have to poke their noses in everything. This is a forum.. Sh!t happens.

I forsee you lasting long, my angsty friend.



Moderator Action: Don't quote profanities.

 

[azzaman333]

No, Japan is not a vassal of the US.

 

[Shekwan]

Short Answer: No

Long Answer: Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

[innonimatu]

I would not call them full vassal states, but Canada, Japan, South Korea, and quite a few other countries are partial-vassals. Bottom line is that if and when the shtf, they will be entirely dependent upon the United States. I would think that, even at this point, the UK is somewhat of a vassal state, not as much as it was in WWII, but still.

Actually the UK was far stronger during WW2 that it is now. It still had an empire, to start with. It was only after the war that the US wrestled the Middle East from the UK, for example.