Japan to replace Australia as US's Asia-Pacific deputy sheriff

A sensible article from the Guardian's Simon Tisdall for a change:

Escalating tension with China, violently illustrated by renewed anti-Japanese protests in Shanghai and other big cities at the weekend, is increasing pressure on Tokyo to expand its military capabilities and back a deepening strategic alliance with the US reaching from east Asia to the Gulf.

Japan's pacifist postwar constitution restricts its armed forces to self-defence. About 50,000 US troops in Okinawa and other bases guarantee the country's security in return for a $5bn (£2.6bn) Japanese cash contribution.

But defence analysts say the perceived Chinese threat, a more assertive, nationalistic Japanese mindset, and Washington's wish to use Japan as a command post for operations extending to the Middle East are transforming Japan's formerly semi-detached defence posture.

At only about 600 words the article is well worth reading.

Australia's being replaced as deputy sheriff before it's had the chance to gun down a bad guy Marshall Dillon style or even rough anyone up. Maybe we should slap around the Kiwis a bit, you know, just for fun.