3 ms·

I was under the impression from things I've read (though I don't remember where) that Japan has for a long time been everything but nuclear ready. As in they w

I was under the impression from things I've read (though I don't remember where) that Japan has for a long time been everything but nuclear ready. As in they wanted to be able to say they didn't have nuclear weapons but in reality they'd done everything but final assembly of devices (or similar 95% complete kind of status). Perhaps even similar to Israel's assumed but never publicly acknowledged full nuclear capability.

Epa095 2y ago
It's called nuclear latency https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_latency https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_latency Japan is considered a "paranuclear" state, with complete technical prowess to develop a nuclear weapon quickly, and is sometimes called being "one screwdriver's turn" from the bomb, as it is considered to have the materials and technical capacity to make a nuclear weapon at will.
- m4rtink 2y ago
  Also the solid fueled orbital launch rockets Japan has are totally not ICBMs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-V#Potential_as_an_intercontinental_ballistic_missile https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-V#Potential_as_an_interconti... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epsilon_(rocket)#Vehicle_description https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epsilon_(rocket)#Vehicle_descr... "The Epsilon is expected to have a shorter launch preparation time than its predecessors;[11][12][13] a function called "mobile launch control" greatly shortens the launch preparation time, and needs only eight people at the launch site,[14] compared with 150 people for earlier systems.[15]" All this is just a coincidence. ^_-
  - throw0101d 2y ago
    > Also the solid fueled orbital launch rockets Japan has are totally not ICBMs: The biggest threats to Japan are China and North Korea: you do not need ICBMs for them. Cruise missiles have ranges of >1500km: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomahawk_(missile_family) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomahawk_(missile_family) And with that, a missile launched from the north of Japan (e.g., Sapporo) can hit NK: * http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?R=1500km@RJCC http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?R=1500km@RJCC Southern Japan (e.g., Nagasaki) can reach Beijing and Shanghai: * http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?R=1500km@RJFU http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?R=1500km@RJFU Japan doesn't currently have any, but perhaps Taiwan and/or SK would be willing to sell them some existing design: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyunmoo-3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyunmoo-3 * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hsiung_Feng_IIE https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hsiung_Feng_IIE Though they seem to be working on updating their own design: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_12_surface-to-ship_missile https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_12_surface-to-ship_missil...

Epa095 2y ago

It's called nuclear latency https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_latency https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_latency Japan is considered a "paranuclear" state, with complete technical prowess to develop a nuclear weapon quickly, and is sometimes called being "one screwdriver's turn" from the bomb, as it is considered to have the materials and technical capacity to make a nuclear weapon at will.

m4rtink 2y ago
Also the solid fueled orbital launch rockets Japan has are totally not ICBMs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-V#Potential_as_an_intercontinental_ballistic_missile https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-V#Potential_as_an_interconti... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epsilon_(rocket)#Vehicle_description https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epsilon_(rocket)#Vehicle_descr... "The Epsilon is expected to have a shorter launch preparation time than its predecessors;[11][12][13] a function called "mobile launch control" greatly shortens the launch preparation time, and needs only eight people at the launch site,[14] compared with 150 people for earlier systems.[15]" All this is just a coincidence. ^_-
- throw0101d 2y ago
  > Also the solid fueled orbital launch rockets Japan has are totally not ICBMs: The biggest threats to Japan are China and North Korea: you do not need ICBMs for them. Cruise missiles have ranges of >1500km: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomahawk_(missile_family) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomahawk_(missile_family) And with that, a missile launched from the north of Japan (e.g., Sapporo) can hit NK: * http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?R=1500km@RJCC http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?R=1500km@RJCC Southern Japan (e.g., Nagasaki) can reach Beijing and Shanghai: * http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?R=1500km@RJFU http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?R=1500km@RJFU Japan doesn't currently have any, but perhaps Taiwan and/or SK would be willing to sell them some existing design: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyunmoo-3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyunmoo-3 * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hsiung_Feng_IIE https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hsiung_Feng_IIE Though they seem to be working on updating their own design: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_12_surface-to-ship_missile https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_12_surface-to-ship_missil...