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When the Japanese start naming these carriers things like Kaga, Akagi, Hiryū, and Sōryū, then it will really be time to worry :) (1) But seriously, given all o

When the Japanese start naming these carriers things like Kaga, Akagi, Hiryū, and Sōryū, then it will really be time to worry :) (1) But seriously, given all of the provocations by North Korea and China, this should be expected and may even provide deterrence against others' destabilizing moves in the region. The Japanese haven't displayed any aggressive policies since 1945. (1) Carriers of Battle Of Midway 1942 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Carrier_Division https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Carrier_Division)

anabis 9y ago
It is named Kaga.
sologoub 9y ago
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/JS_Kaga https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/JS_Kaga
hrktb 9y ago
> Kaga, Akagi, Hiryū, and Sōryū Kaga and Akagi are classes of ships so there is and wil be a bunch of them. Hiryu and Soryu were specific ships, hopefully these names stay with them. It’s “funny” how all the army ship games and manga
- sdrothrock 9y ago
  To add to this, these names are fairly generic and do not actually have any connotation of warlike-ness like, say, "Imperial Star Destroyer" or even something like a traditional US/UK Navy name "Victory." Kaga: A region of Japan Akagi: A mountain in Japan (perhaps familiar to fans of Initial D) Souryuu: lit. "Blue Dragon" Hiryuu: lit. "Flying Dragon" -- really a modified Souryuu, named with the "dragon" (ryuu) suffix to show the relation to the Souryuu class. The JMSDF also maintains several traditions from the Imperial Navy, such as the songs, ensigns, and technical terminology. One of the most well-known traditions that's been maintained across the two navies is the Japanese curry lunch served every Friday (there are even ads on trains for it as a tourist attraction). IIRC the current naming system was also inherited from the Japanese navy, if you were curious about why two of the ships you named are named after places. Wikipedia has some more information on that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Maritime_Self-Defense_Force#Culture_and_naming_conventions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Maritime_Self-Defense_Fo...
forapurpose 9y ago
> The Japanese haven't displayed any aggressive policies since 1945. That is not at all the view of Japan in East Asia. Their neighbors, including S. Korea and China, distrust and even hate Japan to an extreme extent. For example, S. Korea recently negotiated military cooperation with Japan against N. Korea, but had to cancel it due to public outcry against deals with Japan. Japan is not viewed like Germany; Japan is viewed as unrepentant about WWII, unapologetic, and restrained only by the US and the East Asian order that depends (or depended) on the US providing security so that the countries there didn't get caught in an arms race to protect themselves from Japan (and vice versa), and run a high risk of wars due to the high levels of distrust and hostility. That view has some basis in fact. Germany took full responsibility for its crimes, has major museums and memorials addressing them, outlaws Nazis, teach their children about their evils (AFAIK), transformed their country, is tied tightly in excellent relationships with its neighbors via the EU and NATO, and now feels a responsibility to be a leader in human rights. Japan has made some apologies which their neighbors feel are equivocal (though the neighbors have their own biases), but AFAIK they haven't done much more. Now their textbooks teach a revisionist history that whitewashes the war (based on a few articles I've read) and right-wing nationalists, who deny the crimes and praise the war, are gaining power. This disruption is greatly magnified by the U.S.'s withdrawal from its security guarantees, China's expansion, and North Korea's nuclear weapons - all giving everyone there existential considerations. Japan's military expansion is a long-predicted step in a process that wiser people have strenuously avoided since WWII; it begins with nationalism, in the US and E. Asia, and ends very badly. > may even provide deterrence against others' destabilizing moves in the region This idea seems to be the first mistake everyone makes about international relations. Escalation doesn't deter escalation, it incites more. The other side won't cower, they will react in fear and/or anger to protect themselves. If you bought a knife to protect yourself against your dangerous neighbor and then your neighbor escalated and bought a gun, would you just say 'oh well' and capitulate? In reality, maybe you'd call the police, but there are no international police; maybe you'd move, but countries are stuck with their neighbors forever; so now what? You're stuck next to this armed crazy person. So you buy a gun and both sides become even more scared, inviting yet more escalation and overreactions. The original escalation provided no additional security; it cost both sides money and made the situation even more unstable and dangerous. The mission of international relations is to not let B-level conflicts turn into A-level conflicts (said some expert whose name I can't remember).

anabis 9y ago

It is named Kaga.

sologoub 9y ago

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/JS_Kaga https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/JS_Kaga

hrktb 9y ago

> Kaga, Akagi, Hiryū, and Sōryū Kaga and Akagi are classes of ships so there is and wil be a bunch of them. Hiryu and Soryu were specific ships, hopefully these names stay with them. It’s “funny” how all the army ship games and manga

sdrothrock 9y ago
To add to this, these names are fairly generic and do not actually have any connotation of warlike-ness like, say, "Imperial Star Destroyer" or even something like a traditional US/UK Navy name "Victory." Kaga: A region of Japan Akagi: A mountain in Japan (perhaps familiar to fans of Initial D) Souryuu: lit. "Blue Dragon" Hiryuu: lit. "Flying Dragon" -- really a modified Souryuu, named with the "dragon" (ryuu) suffix to show the relation to the Souryuu class. The JMSDF also maintains several traditions from the Imperial Navy, such as the songs, ensigns, and technical terminology. One of the most well-known traditions that's been maintained across the two navies is the Japanese curry lunch served every Friday (there are even ads on trains for it as a tourist attraction). IIRC the current naming system was also inherited from the Japanese navy, if you were curious about why two of the ships you named are named after places. Wikipedia has some more information on that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Maritime_Self-Defense_Force#Culture_and_naming_conventions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Maritime_Self-Defense_Fo...

forapurpose 9y ago

> The Japanese haven't displayed any aggressive policies since 1945. That is not at all the view of Japan in East Asia. Their neighbors, including S. Korea and China, distrust and even hate Japan to an extreme extent. For example, S. Korea recently negotiated military cooperation with Japan against N. Korea, but had to cancel it due to public outcry against deals with Japan. Japan is not viewed like Germany; Japan is viewed as unrepentant about WWII, unapologetic, and restrained only by the US and the East Asian order that depends (or depended) on the US providing security so that the countries there didn't get caught in an arms race to protect themselves from Japan (and vice versa), and run a high risk of wars due to the high levels of distrust and hostility. That view has some basis in fact. Germany took full responsibility for its crimes, has major museums and memorials addressing them, outlaws Nazis, teach their children about their evils (AFAIK), transformed their country, is tied tightly in excellent relationships with its neighbors via the EU and NATO, and now feels a responsibility to be a leader in human rights. Japan has made some apologies which their neighbors feel are equivocal (though the neighbors have their own biases), but AFAIK they haven't done much more. Now their textbooks teach a revisionist history that whitewashes the war (based on a few articles I've read) and right-wing nationalists, who deny the crimes and praise the war, are gaining power. This disruption is greatly magnified by the U.S.'s withdrawal from its security guarantees, China's expansion, and North Korea's nuclear weapons - all giving everyone there existential considerations. Japan's military expansion is a long-predicted step in a process that wiser people have strenuously avoided since WWII; it begins with nationalism, in the US and E. Asia, and ends very badly. > may even provide deterrence against others' destabilizing moves in the region This idea seems to be the first mistake everyone makes about international relations. Escalation doesn't deter escalation, it incites more. The other side won't cower, they will react in fear and/or anger to protect themselves. If you bought a knife to protect yourself against your dangerous neighbor and then your neighbor escalated and bought a gun, would you just say 'oh well' and capitulate? In reality, maybe you'd call the police, but there are no international police; maybe you'd move, but countries are stuck with their neighbors forever; so now what? You're stuck next to this armed crazy person. So you buy a gun and both sides become even more scared, inviting yet more escalation and overreactions. The original escalation provided no additional security; it cost both sides money and made the situation even more unstable and dangerous. The mission of international relations is to not let B-level conflicts turn into A-level conflicts (said some expert whose name I can't remember).