SlowMan, study some fricking history.  Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek were at each other's throats long before Japan decided that conquering China was actually a good idea.  In fact, their decision to conquer China was largely because of the weakness they sensed in that country.

 

Kim Il-Sung came to power because Stalin wanted as many of his allies running the show as possible.  Stalin could've just as easily withdrawn and allowed Korea to become unified under the UN aegis.

 

But I forgot...Japan is responsible for everything bad in the world.  Huh.  I thought only Americans got blamed for everything.  Those damn Japs!  Always trying to compete.

There is an excellent commentary on the current situation of Anti-American fever running in Hatoyama administration. This is the best English article I have seen to date that gives the most accurate description of the mood in Japan. < link >

 

Basically, Hatoyama's calling for an "Out of West, Enter East" policy, the exactly opposite of Japanese politicians who called for "Out of East, Enter West" policy, citing how the center of global power has shifted from Europe and Washington DC to East Asia.

< link > A poll on members of DJP's Lower House represntatives found that 61% want Japan to leave US-provided umbrella and have its own "protection".

 

Given the royal shafting we've been giving allies lately (see Poland, Czech Republic, Israel, et al), I can't say as I blame them.

 

@ sentinel28a

 

No, Hatoyama and Co. want US out of Japan regardless of what US does.

 

Another thing to add.

 

Do you recall Kadena assembly passing a resolution to kick F-22 out of Kadena airbase due to excessive noise? It's happening  in the US too. < link >

Yeah, I've heard.  My community passed an ordinance demanding the US leave Iraq, too.  For some reason, it didn't work.   I can't imagine why the needs of the country would outweigh the needs of a community...

 

It's true Hatoyama wants the US out of Japan.  I say we give him what he wants.  The resulting economic damage and political damage he'll take from cozying up to China will destroy his government.

Japanese defense minister says that the current SOFA rule governing the US troop presence on Okinawa island were "humiliating" to Japan. This is the first time Japan's defense minister directly criticized American presence in Okinawa.

 

< link >

Hatoyama's dream of kicking Americans out of Okinawa is shocking and infuriating Robert Gates, who is yelling at his Japanese counterpart to honor the base relocation agreements made by LDP, or face grave consequences on national security of Japan. The US administration is stunned that they now have a Japanese government that says "No" and "Get Out" to them.

 

<  link >

A senior State Department official said the United States had "grown comfortable" thinking about Japan as a constant in U.S. relations in Asia. It no longer is, he said, adding that "the hardest thing right now is not China, it's Japan."

The DPJ rode to power pledging to be more assertive in its relations with the United States and has seemed less committed to a robust military response to China's rise.

Hatoyama also pushed the idea of an East Asian Community, a sort of Asian version of the European Union, with China at its core.

"I have never seen this in 30 years," Calder said. "I haven't heard Japanese talking back to American diplomats that often, especially not publicly. The Americans usually say, 'We have a deal,' and the Japanese respond, 'Ah soo desu ka,' -- we have a deal -- and it's over. This is new."