Why an Asia-Pacific Freeze?
The Pacific Freeze is a campaign to freeze and then reduce the military spending of the United States, Japan, China, Russia, South Korea, and North Korea. These countries, which are participating in the Six Party Talks, account for more than 65% of global military spending. We urgently need to address the dangerous escalation in global military spending, which has increased 45% over the last decade. We are wasting precious resources on preparing for war when the world faces a dire economic crisis and the planet faces a catastrophic climate crisis. We believe the place to begin is with the major military spenders, particularly the United States. We believe the first step is a Pacific Freeze.
The campaign is coordinated by the Institute for Policy Studies on behalf of peace activists and scholars in the above countries. We want the issue of military spending included in the regional discussions, but we also think that the six governments won't act without public pressure. We urge you to read our Call to Action and become an individual signatory.
Recent Posts
The Freeze's Latest
Military Spending
South Korea plans to improve defenses by 2014 against nuclear electromagnetic pulse attacks that could devastate power grids and electronic ...
The U.S. Air Force estimates Japan would have to spend as much as $2.3 billion for development of its own ...
South Korean military authorities plan to introduce a defense system against an electromagnetic pulse wave unleashed by a nuclear explosion ...
Asia
Nuke arms race ‘unlikely’ in Northeast Asia: Experts
TOKYO: The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) nuclear test is unlikely to spark a nuclear arms race in Asia, but analysts say Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) may seek to beef up their missile defenses and pre-emptive capabilities against Pyongyang.
Military-Industrial Complex
Taiwan’s Ma calls for U.S. to resist wavering on arms sales
Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou, in a rare teleconference on Wednesday with a U.S. think tank, urged the United States “to not hesitate” on sensitive arms sales to the island, an appeal that came as Taipei seeks to buy advanced fighter aircraft from Washington.