"Believest thou this?" - Imperial Family of Japan

Mt. Fuji Yesterday Evening 100km Far

 Imperial Family of Japan

Japan is the only nation in the world the words "emperor" and "imperial" are used in present form sentences.

Japan has and has had the emperor at any time in these 2000 years, or scientifically 1300 years, historically 1700 years, spiritually 2000 years, and  mythically 2600 years.  But who becomes an emperor?  It is a son of the incumbent emperor as today so provided institutionally, but traditionally a son of a male member of the imperial families in the broad sense of the term.  In fact, through the traditional way, the present Emperor has and the all the past emperors had their fathers who were emperors or direct descendants of preceding emperors through the paternal line.

Any emperor of Japan in the past had his father who was emperor or a son of an emperor, or otherwise a direct descendant of a certain preceding emperor through the paternal line.

This is a big difference from Chinese past dynasties.  In China, revolutions occurred one after another in its history.  Through each revolution, a clan of the emperor of a preceding dynasty was driven out or broken off.  So, emperors of different dynasties were from different families or clans.  Yet, Japan boasts of its unbroken line of emperors through the paternal line to date.

The present Emperor of Japan (77) has two sons.  So, the eldest son (51) is destined to succeed his father in future.  But, the eldest son, namely the Crown Prince of Japan, has no sons but only one daughter (9).  Yet, his younger brother (45) has one son (5) in addition to two daughters.  And, the imperial brothers have no cousins, since the Emperor has only one younger brother (75) who has no children.  Accordingly, it is a matter of some concern.  If the nephew of the Crown Prince should have no sons in future, what would happen to Japan?  No eligible persons for the emperor!

Yet, the present Emperor has an uncle.  The younger brother of Showa Emperor, namely the father of the present Emperor, still lives at the age of 95.  He has three sons (one is the deceased), but all the children of theirs are all young women today.  If any son is in this paternal line, he would have a right to take the imperial throne in case.  But the uncle of the present Emperor has no grandsons.

There are seven persons in the Imperial Families of today who have a right of imperial succession according to stipulated order:

Imperial Succession Order.....Status
 ----------------------------------------------
#1...Crown Prince (51)

#2...Younger Brother of Crown Prince (45)

#3...Son of Younger Brother of Crown Prince (5)

#4...Younger Brother of the Emperor (75)

#5...Uncle of the Emperor (95)

#6...Eldest Son of the Uncle of the Emperor (65)

#7...Second-Eldest Son of the Uncle of the Emperor (63)

So, again, if the nephew of the Crown Prince should have no sons in future, what would happen to Japan?  No eligible persons for the emperor!

But, what if female members of the Imperial Families are allowed to succeed to the imperial throne?  There is a law that specifies who can be an emperor, and it excludes female members.  But what if the law is changed so that female members are allowed to take the imperial throne in case?  Indeed there were female emperors in the past.  But, the paternal line condition has been observed.  Past female emperors were all instituted as an emergency measure to secure the paternal line.  For example, when a crown prince was too young, his mother, namely a widow and ex-empress, took the political and religious status as emperor till her son grew up.   Moreover, the religion of the Imperial Families, namely shinto, requires an emperor who is directly connected to a certain preceding male emperor through the paternal line.  Blood and DNA are sacred in shintoism, too.

But, what if the nephew of the Crown Prince should have no sons in future?

This is one the largest national issues of Japan, though it has not so often surfaced in the Media and society in general.

In other word, though Showa Emperor, the deceased father of the present Emperor, has seven grandchildren, only two were boys.  And, though Showa Emperor, the deceased father of the present Emperor, has four great-grandchildren, only one is a boy.

*** ***

On October 17, 1947 when Japan was occupied by the US Military, the General Headquarters of the Occupying Force ordered Japan to abolish 11 branch imperial families.  Only the families of the Emperor and his brothers (namely three imperial families) survived this anti-Japanese measure.

This incident has resulted in today's situation of the Imperial Families regrading the imperial succession.  Nonetheless, there are big and deep controversies as to whether the Japanese Government, now not subject to the US, should restore the imperial status of those 11 ex-imperial branch families.  If they should be allowed to return to the imperial title, the imperial succession problem is expected to be solved.

The o-ke (literally Princely Houses), were branches of the Japanese Imperial Family created from branches of the Fushimi-no-miya house. All but one of the ōke were formed by the descendants of Prince Fushimi Kuniye. The ōke were stripped of their membership in the Imperial Family by the American Occupation Authorities in October 1947, as part of the abolition of collateral imperial houses. After that point, only the immediate family of Hirohito and those of his three brothers retained membership in the Imperial Family. However, unofficial heads of these collateral families still exist for most and are listed herein.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%8Cke

(Note: In Wikipedia, one branch imperial family is dropped in the above page.  The imperial branch family was disconnected in 1988.  But the branch family of the extinct imperial branch family is said to be the very House of the present Emperor, namely the Imperial Family.)



(to be continued...)

*** *** *** ***

These days some Japanese opt to spend their retired life in foreign countries, such as the US, Canada, Australia, and even in the Philippines.

There are some Japanese who even work and stay in foreign countries on a permanent basis.  They sometimes write their opinions about incidents in Japan on Internet sites, including Twitter. But, they are not so much respected in Japan.  They do not feel real atmosphere in Japan.  Sometimes they are too proud living in the US, Canada, or Australia as rich men.  And, ultimately they don't mind who the next emperor of Japan will be.

Strictly speaking they are not responsible members of Japan any more.  Their rich living is not linked to the state of Japan but their own personal assets.  But, if Japan fails in whatever national sense, how those Japanese living abroad can be proud or can be so much respected.  Anyway you cannot serve two masters.

Therefore, you had better not trust opinions about Japan and Japanese matters, including the imperial family, of those Japanese who live outside Japan.  It is so, since being Japanese can be compared to being Christian but this religion of Japanese is, put extremely, only meaningful if they live in Japan.

(If a Japanese lives in a foreign country, he would never pay his respects at a shito shrine or a Japanese Buddhist temple even in the New Year Eve and on the New Year Day.)



Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Joh 11:27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

"hast revealed them unto babes" - Imperial Family and Catholicism

Tokyo Akihabara in the Rain...

Imperial Family of Japan and Christianity

There is a well known fact in Japan that the Imperial Family is somewhat intimate with Christianity, or especially with the Vatican.

The agency that is in charge of managing imperial family affairs is called  Imperial Household Agency (Kunai-Cho) under the current Consttution.

In 1949, the name of Imperial Household Office was changed to the Imperial Household Agency. In this way, the Imperial Household became an external agency of the Prime Minister's Office.[1] 

In 2001, the Imperial Household Agency was organizationally re-positioned under the Cabinet Office
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Household_Agency#Imperial_Household_Agency.2C_1949.E2.80.93present

The first director-general of the Agency is Michiji Tajima (1885-1968) who was a member of nonchurch movement Christians.  Tajima, an elite businessman and also a councilor of the Bank of Japan, was a zealous follower of prominent Japanese Christians Inazo Nitobe (1862-1933) and Kanzo Uchimura (1861-1930).

The head of office to take care of the Emperor concerning his private and public activities is called the Grand Chamberlain (Jijyu-cho).  The Grand Chamberlain when Tajima was the director-general of the Imperial Household Agency after WWII was Takanobu Mitani (1892-1985), an ex-elite diplomat. Mitani kept this position closest to the Emperor from 1948 to 1965. Mitani was also a Christian.  He was also a follower of prominent Japanese Christians Inazo Nitobe and Kanzo Uchimura.

In 1949, a prominent Japanese economist was appointed to a councilor for the Imperial Family. It is Shinzo Koizumi (1885-1966) who had studied in European universities in the era of WWI.  Koizumi became in charge of individual tuition of the then Crown Prince of Japan, the current Emperor.  Koizumi received baptism with his daughter in the wake of the death of his grandchild, namely a child of his daughter, after WWII.

Tajima appointed Takeshi Usami (1903-1991) as his successor, namely the second Grand Chamberlain.  Usami was an ex-elite bureaucrat of the Japanese Government.  And, Usami was also a Christian.

When the three figures, Tajima, Mitani, and Usami had a strong influence on the Imperial Family and Christian economist Koizumi was educating the then Crown Prince, marriage of the then Crown Prince was conducted.  And, a young lady who married the eldest son of the Emperor was not from an ex-imperial relative family or a house of ex-nobility associated with the Imperial Family.  In other word, she was from commons.　So, the new crown princess was the eldest daughter of the president of Nisshin Seifun Group Inc. (Nisshin Seifun is a major flour-milling company in Japan her grandfather founded.)  And, naturally, it was expected that she would become Empress of Japan in future.  Indeed, she is now Empress of Japan. Yet, her father was a Catholic. She learnt in a Christian female university.  This was unthinkable in Japan, even if it was after WWII.

The Imperial Household Council held a meeting on November 27, 1958.  The chairman was the then prime minister Nobusuke Kishi who asked, for confirmation,  Grand Chamberlain Usami whether or not the young lady, the focus of this meeting, received baptism to be a Christian. Usami replied that she did not.  Subsequently Imperial Family members who attended the meeting agreed with the proposal about the marriage of the Crown Prince.  Then other members followed suit.  Miss Michiko Syoda became future Crown Princess.  An hour later, this decision was announced to all over Japan through radio.

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%9A%87%E5%90%8E%E7%BE%8E%E6%99%BA%E5%AD%90

So, incumbent Emperor and Empress of Japan seem to owe the above mentioned influential Christians.  Especially, when Crown Prince proposed marriage to Miss Michiko Syoda, it was Koizumi, the dedicated educator of Crown Prince, who worked as a bridge between the Imperial Family and the Syodas.  The Imperial marriage was carried out on April 10, 1959.  The cavalcade of the couple on the day was live televised, which is still memorized as the epoch event for the history of the Japanese television industry.

In this way, a young lady who was somewhat close to Japanese Catholics became Crown Princess and eventually Empress of Japan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_Michiko

Moreover, the eldest son of the incumbent Emperor and Empress, namely incumbent Crown Prince, married a young lady who learnt in a Catholic primary school and whose sisters received baptism to become Catholic.

So, the Imperial Family of Japan, whose family religion is 2000-year long  shintoism (indigenous religion of Japan), is somewhat linked to Catholicism which had history of 2000 years.

Or we might have to say that the Imperial Family of Japan is somewhat surrounded by Japanese Christians or especially by Japanese Catholics.



(to be continued...)


*** *** *** ***



The 3/11 Tsunami of Japan carried a 140 ton very-large and mighty rock on a shore for 450 meters (1300 ft.) into an inland damaging a road, houses, etc.

(The Tokyo Shimbun newspaper)

A grave meaning of the 2011 3/11 Disaster of Japan is that it is a very rare incident in an advanced country of today that 20,000 citizens lost lives in one single natural disaster, a great tsunami, that occurred in a few hours after an M9.0 earthquake.

If 50,000 American lost their lives in one single natural disaster, it would have a significant impact on the minds of all the Americans.

So, the aftermath of the 3/11 Disaster still continues in Japan along with the ongoing trouble of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.



Mat 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

"and ye shall have them" - Christianity in the East of the Euphrates

The Tokyo Station in the Rain 

Christianity in the East of the Euphrates

It is a big mystery why Christianity failed in its diffusion to Asia.

Why could not followers of Christ Jesus and their successors propagate their faith and religion in Arabia, Persia, India, Tibet, Indochina, Indonesia, China, Mongolia, Taiwan, Korea, Manchuria, Siberia, and Japan?

Today, Asia ranging from Arabia to Japan are going to gain the economic hegemony in the world.  But why no big movement of Christianity there?

Anyway, the significance of Japan lies there.  Japan proved that you do not have to be Christians to excel in modern technology and science.  Taiwan, South Korea, China, Thailand, India, so on are just following Japan in this context.

Christianity in the Far East

There is some mystery as to when Christianity first reached Japan, even before the era of Columbus and his successors but probably also before the era of Marco Polo.  

Pegu in Burma was a trading centre on Arab trade routes until the fifteenth century and according to Cosmas there were Christians there in the sixth century. Marco Polo in AD 1278 found Nestorian Christians in the Chinese province of Yun-an which borders on Burma. According to Marco Polo, Burma was temporarily conquered by Kublai Khan in AD 1277 and 1283. It is difficult to know whether any Christian missionaries came to Burma from China at this time and any Christian influence was felt. Marco Polo tells the story of Ludovico di Varthema, a Bolognese, who traveled in South East Asia in AD 1503 or 1504 and tells of meeting in Bengal (India) Nestorian merchants from Siam. The latter conducted him to Pegu in Burma where they saw some hundreds of Christians in the king’s service. (Henry Yule (tr.) and edited by H. Cordier, Cathy and the Way Thither, vol. x referred to by S. H. Moffett, op.cit, p. 146.) Accepting the truth of the story, John England adds, "We know from other sources that there were west Asians in Tenasserim from as early as the fourth century, in Champa and Tonking in the eleventh century and in Siam in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, and the evidence points to Christians being among them." (John England., op.cit., l46.) S.H. Moffett thinks that the claim made by Varthema is questionable. "He may well have mistaken chanting Buddhists for Nestorians," he writes. "But if, as he says, he was travelling in the company of Nestorian merchants, surely they should have known the difference between Nestorians and Buddhists." (S.H. Moffett, op.cit., p. 461.)... 

There are several historians, the chief among them being P.Y. Saeki, who claim that Christianity first came to Japan and Korea from China during the T’ang period. According to Saeki the Nestorians had no small share in the creation of the golden age of China and through China these same western influences passed on to Japan. "Whether the Nestorians were heterodox or orthodox it is certain that their ethical and practical theology and their medical knowledge were the true sources of their success in China." He argues that the Japanese were consciously or unconsciously, directly or indirectly, much influenced by the Nestorians and received Christian thought in Chinese garb during T’ang period. There was scarcely anything good in Hsi-an-fu, the great T’ang capital, that was not introduced into Japan or copied sooner or later by the Japanese at their capital at Nara. It was not until the invasion of Japan by Kublai Khan (AD 1268-1281) that Japan began to assert her spiritual and material independence. (P. Y. Saeki, The Nestorian Monument, S.R.C.K. 1916, pp. 112 tt.) John England seems to suggest that Christianity came to Japan by the end of the sixth or the beginning of the seventh century. "Regarding Japan," he writes, "the Seventeen Articles of injunction of the Regent Prince Shotoku (574-622) apparently include a grant to Nestorians of" full liberty and personal rights." Festivals which have persisted over the centuries are also cited for their Christian references, and incised crosses and tombs have been found in north west Japan from the Nara or early Heian periods (seventh to eleventh centuries). 

There are others who reject the Christian presence in Japan before the coming of the Portuguese in the sixteenth century. Richard H. Drummond begins his History of Christianity in Japan with the arrival of Francis Xavier. S.H. Moffett dismisses the arguements of Soeki and others as pure speculation. He writes 

In recent years. some have revived apocryphal stories of even less credible and mysterious traces of Nestorianism in Japan. One such story declares that after his resurrection Jesus was seen in Japan. ... Another tells of the coming of the Nestorian physician and some missionaries to Japan during the reign of Emperor Shomu (724-728) and of apparently Syriac inscription found on the beams of the ancient Horyuji temple, the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan, near seventh-century Nara. The whole city of Nara was built after the model of the T’ang dynasty capital, Chang’an. Since there were Nestorian missionaries in Chang’an in that period, a possible connection has been conjectured. But all this is pure speculation. (S. H. Moffett. op.cit., p. 460.)
Though the evidence suggested by Soeki and others for the Christian presence in Japan before the coming of the western missionaries are fragmentary and in several cases not convincing, the possibility of the Christian influence in Japan through China needs to be seriously considered. The same could also be true of Korea. 

With regard to Korea also, there are differences of opinion among the historians as to the time when Christianity came to Korea. Yoon Tae, John England and others find evidences in Korean Chronicles for the presence of Nestorian Christianity during the Silla and Koryo dynasties. "This is not unexpected in the light of the known presence of Koreans in the T’ang capital -- Chang’- an in the seventh to the ninth centuries." (John England, op.cit., p. 148.) Here again Moffett is more cautious. 

As for Korea, the evidence of at least one possible ancient Nestorian community at its northern border is more convincing, but as in the case of Indonesia, it depends on a question of location. In 1927 a Japanese team excavated an old tomb near Anshan in what is now southern Manchuria about a hundred miles from the present Korean border, on the railroad line up the Liaotung Peninsula to Shenyang (Mukden). They found the remains of seven bodies and at the head of each a clay cross, only one of which was in perfect condition. They were able to date the grave at between 998 and 1006 by Chinese coins of the Sung dynasty left with the bodies. As Soeki points out this is striking evidence of the existence of a strong Nestorian family in the Liaoyang area. 

The question remains, was Anshan in Korea or Manchuria at the beginning of the tenth century? In the seventh century the Liaotung Peninsula was Korean But by about 1000, the apparent date of the burial, the Korean border had been pushed south to the Yalu, and a Manchurian tribe, the Liao (or Chitan Liao), had taken that part of the north east from the Chinese Sung emperor. All we can say with certainty, therefore, is that as early as 1000 there were Nestorian Christians in what had not long before been Korean territory. (S. N. Moffett,op. cit., pp. 161-162.)

In the Korean territory at Kyungju, the ancient capital of unified Korea, the historian Kim Yang -Sun discovered what appears to be a stone cross being used by Buddhist monks at Pusoksa, Korea’s most famous temple, as a charm to aid in child birth. It is now kept in the Christian museum of Soomgsil university in Seoul. Moffett says that there is no way to date it or even to determine whether it is indeed an ancient Christian cross. (Ibid.)It is possible that Christianity existed in Korea at least from the tenth century. 

The evidence for South East and East Asia are very scanty and fragmentary and some have drawn questionable conclusions from it. But there are sufficient evidences to show that Christianity was present in a number of countries in South East and East Asia. There is no doubt about Christian presence in Ceylon, Burma, Tibet, Indonesia and Korea before the arrival of the western missionaries. We do not know the number of Christians in these various countries, it was probably very small. Assemani says that in the 13th century, there were twenty-five Nestorian metropolitan provinces with an average of eight to ten episcopal sees for each province, thus totally about 200 to 250 bishoprics. (Assemani, Bibl. Orient. III, 2, p.630.) Some of these bishoprics were in South East and East Asia.                  http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=1553&C=1365

If any influence existed of Christianity on East Asia, the Far East, and Japan before the era of Columbus and his successors, it seems to have been confined in sporadic and limited local areas or at a vague or deeper level of local communities, societies, or kingdoms.  It is so since there are no Asia Christian churches that could boast of history or origin dating back to centuries before the era of Columbus and his successors.

But, there seems to be some arguments about history of Christianity in Japan.

Note that the above portion of " It was not until the invasion of Japan by Kublai Khan (AD 1268-1281) that Japan began to assert her spiritual and material independence" is not correct.  It was in 894 that the Imperial Court of Japan stopped sending an official envoy to China (the Tang dyasty at the time) once and for all.  Since then, no imperial diplomatic mission was sent to China till the era of the Empire of Japan between 1868 to 1945.


Christianity in Japan

From the late 19th century to the early 21st century, Japan was the only world power that once persecuted Christianity (since the establishment of the Vatican) and that practiced religion(s) other than Christianity mostly.

In other world, Japan is the first nation that proved to the world that Christianity is not an absolute condition for a nation to be modernized and industrialized.  China and India are mere followers of Japan in this context.  But, how was Christianity received or rejected in Japan?

Nestorianism 

Ken Joseph argues that Christianity, in the form of Nestorianism, existed in Japan before the arrival of Xavier.

Missions to Japan 

The first known appearance of organized Christianity in Japan was the arrival of the Portuguese Catholics in 1549. Francis Xavier arrived in Japan with three Japanese Catholic converts intending to start a church in the Nagasaki area. The local Japanese people initially assumed that the foreigners were from India and that Christianity was a new "Indian faith". These mistaken impressions were due to already existing ties between the Portuguese and India; the Indian city of Goa was a central base for the Portuguese East India Company at the time, and a significant portion of the crew on board their ships were Indian Christians.[25] Later on, the Roman Catholic missionary activities were exclusively performed by Portuguese-sponsored Jesuits and Spanish-sponsored mendicant orders, such as the Franciscans and Dominicans. Francisco Xavier (a Catholic Saint),[26] Cosme de Torres (a Jesuit priest), and John Fernandez were the first who arrived in Kagoshima with hopes to bring Christianity and Catholicism to Japan. Xavier and the Jesuit order was held in good esteem and his efforts seemed to have been rewarded with a thriving community of converts.[27] At baptism, these converts were given Portuguese "Christian names" and encouraged to adopt Western culture. This practice contributed to suspicions that the converts were in reality foreign agents working to subvert social order.[note 1][27] Under Oda Nobunaga, the Jesuits enjoyed the favor of the shogunate, but the situation began to change once Toyotomi Hideyoshi's suspicions were aroused against Christianity. 

Persecution under the Shogunate 

Under Hideyoshi and then under the succeeding Tokugawa shogunate, Catholic Christianity was repressed and adherents were persecuted. During these times, many Christians were killed in Japan, some by crucifixion; most famously, the twenty-six martyrs of Japan were tortured and crucified on crosses outside Nagasaki to discourage Christianity in 1597. Following a brief respite that occurred as Tokugawa Ieyasu rose to power and pursued trade with the Portuguese powers, there were further persecutions and martyrdoms in 1613, 1630, and 1632. By this point, after the Shimabara Rebellion, the remaining Christians had been forced to publicly renounce their faith. Many continued practicing Christianity in secret, in modern times becoming known as the "hidden Christians." 

The opening of Japan 

...After the Meiji Restoration, freedom of religion was introduced in 1871, giving all Christian communities the right to legal existence and preaching. Since World War II the number of Japanese Christians has been slowly increasing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Japan

Today there are 1.1 million Christians in Japan with population of 128 million.  The number of Japanese Catholics is about 450,000; the number of Protestants is 650,000.  They just account for 1% of the whole population of Japan.  Japan is not a Christian country, but like in India every Japanese knows who and what Christ Jesus is.


(to be continued....)

*** *** *** ***

In a sense, it is very strange that only once the Son of God emerged among people.

However, there must be a significant and grave reason if he does.  So, a significant and grave situation must have been in the world 2000 years ago.  To understand it is a duty of mankind.

The next most critical matter is that Christianity failed in its diffusion to Asia.  As Christians have so failed in these 2000 years, something horrible should happen for the Vatican.  Then, even WWI and WWII could be an overture to a possible drastic incident of the Vatican.  It is so, since it must be the Pope that should take responsibility before God and His Son.

267 - 111 Glory of the olive.  

Benedict XVI (2005–present), Joseph Ratzinger 

268 - 112 Peter the Roman, who will nourish the sheep in many tribulations; when they are finished, the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the dreadful judge will judge his people. The end. 

Unknown, Unknown
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophecy_of_the_Popes

Mar 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Mar 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

"not doubt in his heart" - 1% vs 99% for American Dream

Mt. Fuji...

100km Far in These Evenings...

1% vs. 99% for the American Dream

The basic equation of the national finance is as follows:

T: Tax Revenue
Pt: Tax Paid by the Poor
Rt: Tax Paid by the Rich

T = Pt + Rt

A: Total Budget Spending
Pa: Budget Appropriation to the Poor
Ra: Budget Appropriation to the Rich

A = Pa + Ra

If T = A, there is no financial crisis in a nation.

Pt + Rt = Pa + Ra

But, in most of countries, imbalance is the norm or deficit balance is a common matter.

Pt + Rt < Pa + Ra

To address this situation, only a several solutions are available.

1) Increase Pt, that is, increase tax on the poor.

2) Increase RT, that is, increase tax on the rich.

3) Decrease budget appropriated to the poor.

4) Decrease budget appropriated to the rich.

5) Find another source for government income.

However it is the the government or a president or otherwise a prime minister that decides what method to take.  And, in a democratic nation, a ruling political party is behind the government.  So, the matters is which controls the ruling party, the rich or the poor.  It is of course decided through democratic process, namely by suffrage.

If the poor could control the ruling party, the government would surely opt for the above methods 2) or 4).

But, if the rich could control the ruling party, the government would surely opt for the above methods 1) or 3).

Yet, from the beginning which has money enough to pay for tax: the rich or the poor?  Here you may find that "99% vs. 1%" shouted in the Occupy Wall Street movement is meaningful.

#1) The Top 1% Owns 40% of the Nation's Wealth:Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz points out the richest 1% of Americans now own 40% of the nation's wealth. This disparity is much worse than it was in the past, as just 25 years ago the top 1% owned 33% of national wealth.
How much does the bottom 80% own? Only 7%. 

#2) The Top 1% Take Home 24% of National Income:While the richest 1% of Americans take home almost a quarter of national income today, in 1976they took home just 9% -- meaning their share of the national income pool has nearly tripled in roughly three decades. 

#3) The Top 1% Own Half of the Country's Stocks, Bonds and Mutual Funds: The Institute for Policy Studies illustrates this massive disparity in financial investment ownership, noting that the bottom 50% of Americans own only 0.5% of these investments. 

#4) The Top 1% of Americans Have Only 5% of the Nation's Personal Debt:Using 2007 figures, sociologist William Domhoff points out that the top 1% have 5% of the nation's personal debt while the bottom 90% have 73% of total debt. 

#5) The Top 1% Are Taking In More off the Nation's Income Than at Any Other Time Since the 1920s: Not only are the wealthiest 1% of Americans taking home a tremendous portion of the national income, but their share of this income is greater than at any other time since the Great Depression, as the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities illustrates in this chart, using 2007 data.                              http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/top-5-facts-america-richest-1-183022655.html              

More specifically, including debts:

The nonpartisan agency said in a report that after-tax income on average grew by 62% during the 30-year period. But that growth wasn’t even. The wealthiest 1% of Americans saw their incomes skyrocket by 275% during that stretch, while after-tax income for the one-fifth of households with the lowest income grew by just 18% from 1979 to 2007. 

For the richest Americans excluding the top 1%, household income grew by 65% during that period, while for the 60% in the middle of the income scale, the growth in after-tax income was just under 40%, the CBO said. 

The bulk of this widening gap was because income before taxes and government transfers grew for wealthier earners. The top 1% of the population accounted for 60% of all such income in 2007, up from 50% in 1979. 

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/10/25/income-growth-of-top-1-over-30-years-outpaced-rest-of-u-s/

So, it is apparent that the poor should control the ruling party, and the government should surely take the above stated measures 2) or 4).  Then the financial problem of the US and any other country would be solved.  But, reality is so different, though an African American is now the US President.

It means that power is in the hand of the rich (1% and their followers) but not the poor (99% or a lower portion of 99%).  So, it is not economics, fiscal science, or financial engineering.  It is politics.

Yet, rich Americans would claim that they have paid tax enough already.

But this is a false dichotomy, of course.  The top 1% of income earners in the United States pull down at least $344,000 in adjusted gross income every year, earn just under 17% of the total income of the country, and pay almost 37% of all taxes.  The top 5% of income earners make at least $155,000 and pay 59% of all taxes.  The top 10% of income earners make at least $112,000 and pay over 70% of all taxes. 

So, where would you draw the line between Americans, separating the good ones from the bad?  It makes no sense to draw it at 1%, since those who make $344,000 are closer to those who make $343,000 than those who make $1 million every year. 

If income doesn’t work, should taxation be the standard?  Many conservatives have suggested that the line between Americans should be drawn at 53% and 47% — 53% of Americans pay taxes and the rest don’t—although they tend to vote for higher taxes on those who do pay.
http://frontpagemag.com/2011/11/18/the-fuzzy-math-of-1-99/

Nonetheless, big American corporations, sources of wealth and income of the rich, do not fulfill their public duties to pay a full amount of tax imposed on them institutionally or by law:

- The average effective tax rate for all 280 companies in the study over the three year period was 18.5 percent; for the period 2009-2010 it was 17.3 percent, less than half the statutory rate of 35 percent.
- 78 of the companies enjoyed at least one year in which their federal income tax was zero or less.
- 30 companies enjoyed a negative income tax rate over the entire three year period on their combined pre-tax profits of $160 billion.
- Total tax subsidies given to all 280 profitable corporations amounted to $222.7billion from 2008-2010.
- Wells Fargo tops the list of 280 U.S. corporations receiving the most in tax subsidies,getting nearly $18 billion in tax breaks from the U.S. treasury in the last three years.
- Pepco Holdings had the lowest effective tax rate of all the companies in the study, at negative 57.6 percent over the three year period.
- Some companies within sectors fare worse than others. For example, the report finds that FedEx paid a 0.9 percent tax rate over the three year period while its competitor, UPS, paid a 24.1 percent rate.
- While retailers and wholesalers in the study generally pay average effective tax rates of about 30 percent, Amazon.com paid a rate of only 7.9 percent on its $1.8 billion in profits from 2008-2010.
- Financial services received the largest share (16.8 percent) of all federal tax subsidies over the last three years. More than half of federal corporate tax subsidies for companies in the study went to four industries: financial services, utilities, telecommunications, and oil, gas & pipelines.
- The top ten defense contractors saw their combined tax rate decline from 19.3 percent in 2008 to a mere 10.6 percent rate in 2010.
- U.S. corporations with significant (ten percent or more of their total worldwide profits) foreign profits paid tax rates to foreign countries that were almost a third higher than they paid to the IRS on their domestic profits.
http://www.ctj.org/corporatetaxdodgers/CorporateTaxDodgersPR.pdf

What's more 1,470 rich men evaded taxation, though 46% of American households do not pay tax.

Not the best day to report this, but the IRS says 1,470 millionaires paid no federal income taxes in 2009. 

Where did the money go? Tax "expenditures" (otherwise known as deductions, write-offs, subsidies or loopholes), charities, municipal bonds and tax payments to foreign governments, according to a recent IRS report (pdf) that ABC News noticed over the weekend and that the Los Angeles Times picked up today. 

More than 235,000 taxpayers earned $1 million or more in '09, with 8,274 making more than $10 million, the Internal Revenue Service said. All told, there were 140 million taxpayers. 

The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center reported last month that 46% of American households (known as "units") actually will not pay federal income taxes for this year nor will receive refunds. That's because of low incomes, credits for children or other dependents, or exemptions.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/08/irs-1470-millionaires-paid-no-income-tax-in-09/1

Though 1,470 is just 0.6% of 235,000, it looks like a very tiny portion of a big iceberg.

Incidentally, even the poorest are forced to pay state sales tax in the US:

State Sales Tax
All states except Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon, collect sales taxes.   Delaware collects a Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) which is a business and gross receipts tax that can total 2.07%. Some have a single rate throughout the state though most permit local city and county additions to the base tax rate. Those states with a single rate include Connecticut, District of Columbia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.
States with the highest sales tax are: California (8.25%), Indiana (7%), Mississippi  (7%), New Jersey (7%), Rhode Island (7%), Tennessee (7%), Minnesota (6.875%), Nevada (6.85%), Arizona (6.6%), Washington (6.5%), Kansas (6.3%), Texas and Illinois (6.25%).   

Most states exempt prescription drugs from sales taxes. Some also exempt food and clothing purchases and a few also exempt non-prescription drugs.
http://www.retirementliving.com/RLtaxes.html

In addition, some defects in functions of the US Administration make the matter worse:

Rep. Elton Gallegly is passing along word that 2.3 million illegal aliens who paid no income taxes in 2010 nevertheless received $4.2 billion dollars in tax refunds. The numbers come from the Obama Treasury Department. 

The number of illegal aliens receiving tax refunds in 2010 is 4x higher than it was in 2005. It is increasing exponentially as more illegal aliens find out about the program. The IRS allows illegals to apply for a nine digit "Taxpayer Identification Number" and the government sends them a check for tax credits even if these "taxpayers" paid nothing in income taxes.  We reported earlier on how they are able to do this, and on a bill introduced to remedy the problem.
http://www.westernyouth.org/the-dagger/illegal-aliens-paid-$4.2-billion-in-tax-refunds/

Again,
T: Tax Revenue
Pt: Tax Paid by the Poor
Rt: Tax Paid by the Rich
T = Pt + Rt


A: Total Budget Spending
Pa: Budget Appropriation to the Poor
Ra: Budget Appropriation to the Rich
A = Pa + Ra


If T = A, there is no financial crisis in a nation.
Pt + Rt = Pa + Ra

How can't this simple equation be achieved?

It is because 1% rich men has full justification to be as rich as possible in the name of the American Dream.  And they know that their American Dream can be only realized by neglecting or blocking the American Dream of 99% ordinary or poor Americans.



(to be continued...)


*** *** *** ***

Though 30,000 Japanese commit suicide every year due to various problems, including unemployment and distress, the tragedy of the 3/11 Tsunami has still a grave impact on the society, since the number of deaths, including disappearance, due to the Tsunami is 20,000.

Tragically, there are some people who survived the tsunami but committed suicide in months after the incident.  The main cause is economic poverty, because they lost their own houses, workplaces, or employment.  The social and administrative systems of Japan cannot fully cover those affected by the disaster.

Yet, some people are resilient.  And there are some compassionate public workers.  It is these personal and individual efforts that sustain and help living of evacuees and survived victims the number of which is estimated to be 500,000.

As for the suicide in the general public of Japan, the deepest root of its cause is in deflation.  Deflation of Japan that has continued for 15 years was directly triggered by Japanese companies that started to use cheap Chinese labor force in a large scale.  The motivation of those businesses is that they intend to lower prices of their goods and reduce costs to win the ever heating-up competition in the international market.  And this global competition has been spurred by globalization of economy backed by the IT technology based on the Internet and PCs.

Most of big enterprises of Japan has been successful and profitable in these 15 years featuring deflation.  Conversely, big Japanese companies fully utilizing advanced technology and promoting globalization strategies are driving many Japanese workers and small-and medium sized businesses into the corner.

So, in order to save those poor Japanese, we have to stop the present globalization of economy and establish a new scheme of global trade.  In this context, Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) should be stopped.  Japan should not join it.  TPP will even make tsunami victims all the more suffer.

Finally, one big problem in Japan is that while 60 million people are working, its 1% or 0.6 million are facing any sort of crises that might lead to a suicide in the worst case, 99% or 59.4 million are living a reasonable life based on advanced technology and matured economy.

So, what is needed in Japan might be "Occupy" movement by this 1%.


(Note: This is the 2011th posting of the EEE-Repoter blog.  Tomorrow, it will be the 2012th.  But, who have ever read all these 2011 postings except myself and the Lord God Almighty?)


Mar 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

"whatsoever thou wilt ask of God" - Cold Stories on Cold Streets

Around Tokyo...after an autumn rain...
(a tornado happened somewhere in Japan, though far from Tokyo...)

Cold Stories on Cold Streets

It was a little snowing when the M9.0 earthquake occurred in the North Pacific Ocean 150km off the Tohoku region of Honsyu Island, Japan, on March 11, 2011.

Again, the season has come back that surviving victims of the 3/11 Tsunami have to face coldness.  Those living in temporary homes are busy making their apartments resistant to coldness, say, by making the sash window frame double.  Some municipality is attaching insulated material on walls of temporary apartment houses to help those who lost their homes and now live in such temporary facilities.

As their old residential areas were proved to face a risk of tsunami hazard on March 11, related municipalities have forbidden rebuilding of houses in the same places.  This regulation has made recovery more difficult for those who lost their houses due to the tsunami.

Total 200,000 houses and buildings were wholly destroyed or half destroyed by the 3/11 Tsunami.

 
A Cold Story in Siberia

According to a reporter of the Yomiuru Shimbun newspaper of Japan, it is not pleasant at all to travel Siberia.

He recently visited a city near Lake Baikal.  He was walking on a street to take pictures.  He found some big paper factory on the great lake and tried to take its pictures from a public road.  Then he was virtually arrested and brought into the police.  He had to take two hours to explain that he was not a spy and he did not know the factory produced some secret material for Russian aircrafts, space crafts, or the like,  Then he was finally released.

In a hotel, he was in a room waiting for a taxi.  He had asked the hotel to call one for him.   But 20 minutes before the arranged time, a female employee of the hotel rushed into his room, shouting, "The taxi has come.  Be quick!"  But, he went down to the lobby at the exact time only to be told that the taxi had gone for another calling and he had to find one for himself on the street.  So, the embarrassed Japanese reporter left the hotel into the freezing street.  The temperature was 20 degrees Celsius below zero.  He had to go to another city, 170 km or 100 miles far, where an airport was situated.  He was almost frozen on the street but finally able to grab a shared-taxi.

So, he wondered how Russians could be so unkind while they were promoting tourism in every local region.


A Cold Story in Wall Street

In October a Japanese researcher traveled to New York to attend a UN related symposium.

He of course checked Occupy Wall Street.  He happened to see Mr. Jesse Jackson visiting the site occupied by Occupy Wall Street participants.

http://kazutosuzuki.blogspot.com/2011/10/occupy-wall-streettea-party.html

However only several people welcomed Mr. Jackson.  Most of OWS participants did not even try to see Mr. Jackson.  So, the Japanese researcher found that there was a big gap between those in the OWS camp and those outside it.  Sightseers and residents around Zuccotti Park looked like being clearly separated.  It seemed to be very difficult for sightseers and residents to walk in the park and befriend OWS participants.

Every participant looked like having his or her own agenda.  Especially those who held up signs were spoken to or challenged by others.  Yet, there were no common themes.  Only a sense of protest and a liberal value judgment might be shared by various participants.  If you do not have a kind of faith in this way of self-expression, you cannot walk into and join Occupy Wall Street, the Japanese observed.  But, this movement cannot have a political influence.  It is too individual, he concluded.

Finally he wrote in his blog that unless Republicans should take up agendas of OWS guys, their discomforts and complaints will continue to be accumulated and things will get graver.


(to be continued...)

*** *** *** ***

In the Gospels, no scenes are depicted where snow is falling on Christ Jesus and His disciples.

Snow and ice seem to have nothing to do with the story of Christ Jesus.

Yet, Christianity spread in the north of the Alps, though tropically born Buddhism spread into Tibet, China, Mongolia, Korea, and Japan all familiar with ice and snow in the winter.

Conversely, it tells how universal true religions are.  Yet, no global regions emerged from the world of ice and snow.   Probably, for people to live in the world of snow and ice, unique religion must be needed.  Anyway, Palestine is situated at the junction of Africa, Europe, and Asia.


(Note: This is the 2010th posting since I satrted this blog on May 13, 2005.  Tomorrow it will catch up with the number of this year 2011. It can be important.)

Joh 11:22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
Joh 11:23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

"Woe unto thee" - Dangerous Chinese Military Buildup

Around the Tokyo Imperial Palace...

Dangerous Chinese Military Buildup

Japanese Air (Self-Defense) Force

The major military planes under the command are as follows:
Type.................Number
---------------------------------
F-15J/DJ.........213

F-2A/B.............94

(a variation of F-16)

F-4E..................67

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%88%AA%E7%A9%BA%E8%87%AA%E8%A1%9B%E9%9A%8A%E3%81%AE%E8%A3%85%E5%82%99%E5%93%81%E4%B8%80%E8%A6%A7


US Air Force

The major fighter planes that belong to the US Air force are as follows:
Type.................Number
---------------------------------
F-15.........1,198

F-16.........1,354

F-22..........145

A-10..........357


Chinese Air Force

It is said that Chinese Air Force has the following advanced planes:
Type.................Number
---------------------------------
Su-27/30.........150

J-11.............100

J-10..................200

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903461304576525870080832068.html


If it is scheduled that China and the coalition of Japan and the US are entering war with each other in three years, Japan would produce 1,000 F-15s (on a license vase) and the US would 3,000 F-15s while blocking trade with China who would then produce only a hundred or so advanced attack planes.

It is out of question.  China cannot make war against the US and Japan from the beginning.  Stupid journalists in the world are shouting that China is going to overwhelm Japan and the US with its air force soon.  Before China starts to mobilize resources for war, 10,000 riots will be set off in all the Chinese cities, towns, and villages to topple the stupid Chinese Communist regime.

Anyway, China should stop stupid build-up of its military force.



List of notable defense contractors worldwide


In Japan nobody would proudly say that he or she works in a defense company if he or she does.

Japan is a peace loving country as a national policy, so that nobody in Japan would proudly say that he or she works in a defense company if he or she does.  But circumstances must be very different in the US, the UK. France, Italy, and the EU.

2009 rank	Company (country)	2009 arms sales (US$ m.)	Arms sales as share of company’s total sales (%),
1	Lockheed Martin (USA)	33430	70
2	BAE Systems (UK)	33250	95
3	Boeing (USA)	32300	48
4	Northrop Grumman(USA)	27000	77
5	General Dynamics(USA)	25590	78
6	Raytheon(USA)	21030	91
7	EADS (EU)	17900	28
8	Finmeccanica (Italy)	13280	52
9	L-3 Communications(USA)	13010	82
10	United Technologies(USA)	11110	17
11	Thales Group (France)	10200	58
12	SAIC(USA)	8030	73
13	Computer Sciences Corp.(USA)	6050	34
14	Honeywell (USA)	5380	15
15	KBR(USA)	4990	50
16	SAFRAN(France)	4740	26
17	ITT Corp.(USA)	4730	44
18	General Electric(USA)	4700	3
19	Rolls-Royce(UK)	4140	28
20	AM General(USA)	3720	. .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_contractor



State of Chinese Defense Industry 

China is a military state.

No one in China is allowed to criticize the Chinese military.  And, probably no one in China is allowed to criticize the Chinese weapon industry.

----
Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)


Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) is a corporation, centered on aviation, but capable of providing whole-value chain services to customers in many fields, from research and development to operation and from manufacturing to finance. Its business units cover Defense, Transport Aircraft, Engine, Helicopter, Avionics and Systems, General Aviation, Aviation Research, Flight Test, Trade and Logistics, Assets Management, Finance Services, Engineering Planning and Construction, Automobile and etc. It owns almost 200 member companies, over 20 listed companies and approximately 400,000 employees. It is the first Chinese defense enterprise listed as the World Top500. On July 8 of 2010, AVIC ranked 330 among the newly published Fortune Top 500 enterprises.
http://www.china-defense-mashup.com/defense-manufactuers-data/aviation-industry-group

Most of the firms are subsidiaries of the eight-year-old China Aviation Industry Corp (AVIC). AVIC is divided into two divisions, AVIC I and II. The more predominately military of the two divisions, AVIC I describes itself as an ultra-large, state-owned enterprise with 240,000 employees that has mass-produced fighters, bombers, trainers and reconnaissance aircraft. It controls 47 manufacturing facilities, 31 research-and-development institutions, and 22 specialized companies, including Shenyang Aircraft Corp., Chengdu Aircraft Corp., Xi'an Aircraft Corp. and Shanghai Aviation Industrial Corp.

AVIC II, a "state-authorized investment organization under the direct management of the Central Government," controls 78 industrial enterprises, including the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group, Hanzhong Aviation Industry Co. and Changhe Aircraft Industry Group. The division is largely dedicated to commercial development, yet it has produced more than 5,500 aircraft, 700 helicopters, 23,000 aircraft engines and 10,000 tactical missiles.

Each year, AVIC I and II firms export commercial and civil airplane parts worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

In 2004, the 56-year-old Shenyang Aircraft - dubbed "the cradle of China's jet fighter aircraft" for its more than 20 models of aircraft, including the J-6 Farmer and J-8 Finback fighters - exported commercial parts worth $300 million to Airbus, BAE Systems, Boeing and De Havilland.

The same year, Chengdu Aircraft, which has built more than 2,500 planes of more than 10 types, including the recent Xiaolong (Fierce Dragon) fighter, posted more than $100 million in commercial exports. Its contracts included the assembly of MD-80/90 nose sections, Boeing 757 empennage, A320 rear passenger door and the No. 3 fuel tank for Dassault F-2000EX business aircraft.

And the deals keep coming. In June, Boeing signed contracts worth $500 million with four AVIC I and II subsidiaries to produce components for the 747 and the new 787 Dreamliner. Xi'an Aircraft will produce in-board wing flaps for the Boeing 747 and Hafei Aviation Co. will supply composite parts. And Tianjin-based BHA Aero Composites, a joint venture between AVIC I, Hexcel, and 40-percent partner Boeing, will supply composite panels for the 787 vertical fins.

Chengdu, which builds forward-entry and overwing-exit doors for the Next-Generation 737, will make ailerons and spoilers for the 747. It was selected as a 787 supplier in 2004, and on June 28, the first CAC-built composite 787 rudder came off the floor and headed for Everett, Wash., for installation on the first 787, to be delivered in 2008. On July 2, Bombardier Aerospace announced a joint venture with AVIC I to develop 90- and 149-seat versions of the ARJ21-900 commercial aircraft, set to begin production this year and enter service in 2011.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=3260552&c=FEA&s=SPE

The China North Industries Group Corporation (CNGC) CNGC has a registered capital of RMB 254 billion(US$30 billion), Its main business is supplying products for the Chinese military. It also develops high technology civilian use machinery, chemicals, construction machinery, and other products.

China North Industries Group Corporation(CNGC) is a state-owned extremely large group established by the State Council AS an organization whose investment is authorized by the state government,it operates in the way of a state-holding corporation and is managed by the central government.CNGC has underneath 131 owned or holding enterprises,companies and research institutions,such as China North Industries Corporation(NORINCO),the Inner Mongolian No.1 Machine-building Group Corporation and the North Industries Group Finance Corporation ect.It Has 456,000 employees and a registered capital of 25.4 billion RMB.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/norinco.htm

Military Industry				Trends
Enterprise				Staff
AVIC	Aviation Industries of China			400,000
		CHAIG	Changhe Aircraft Industries (Group)	4,300
		CAC	Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corp.	14,000
		GAIG	Guizhou Aviation Industry Group	51,000
		HAI	Hafei Aviation Industry Co. Ltd	3,200
		HAMC	Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corp.	16,000
		HAIG	Hongdu Aviation Industry Group	10,000
		NAMC	Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Co.	10,000
		SAC	Shaanxi Aircraft Company	10,000
		SAIC	Shanghai Aviation Industry (Group)	---
		SAC	Shenyang Aircraft Corporation	30,000
		XAC	Xian Aircraft Company	20,000
CSSC	China State Shipbuilding Corporation			95,000
			Guangzhou Shipyard
			Huangpu Shipyard
			Hudong Shipyard
			Jiangnan Shipyard	10,000
			Qiuxin Shipyard
			Zhonghua Shipyard
CSIC	China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation			170,000
			Bohai Shipyard
			Dalian SY
			Dalian New SY [Luda]
			Wuhan SY
NORINCO (G)	China North Industries Group			456,000
CSG	China South Industries Group			260,000

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/industry.htm


(to be continued...)

*** *** *** ***

There is a theory that TPP is an American strategy to contain China.

However, for the Obama Administration to increase employment in America, it should request China to revalue its currency yuan.  However, the US Democratic Party has been traditionally friendly to China.  Former President Mr. Clinton respected China more than Japan.  President Mr. Obama does not look like resolutely standing China.  But, he must also realize that trade with China is a major cause of the high unemployment in the US as China is a major cause of deflation in Japan.  So, it is very interesting whether the Obama Administration can take a severe attitude against China.  But one thing true is that America, whether governed by Republicans or Democrats, cannot accept military hegemony of China over South East Asia.  It is pride of America.    

Anyway, if the US Democratic Administration, traditionally friendly with China, starts to contain China through TPP, or though a closer tie with Japan, a possible Republican administration of the US in 2013 would be a real threat to China.



Mat 11:21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.