US bombs Japan – “This time, we got you good”

The United States has carried out a massive “sneak attack” air strike on Tokyo, in a belated retaliation for the 1941 attack against Pearl Harbor. The attack, which destroyed the Tokyo harbour area, and sunk hundreds of yachts, freighters, and other commercial vessels, was permitted under a provision of Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II. In the surrender documents, the US was allowed one surprise attack on Japan – the infamous “we’ll get you good” clause – in response to Japan’s bombing of the American naval base at Pearl Harbor.

The bombings end decades of waiting in Japan, where ongoing doubt about the scope and location of the threatened attacks have caused many foreign investors to steer clear of the island nation.

Among senior Japanese officials, the greatest fear was that the promised US attack would never come, leading to a permanent state of economic uncertainty. In 2002, these sentiments prompted 102 Japanese business groups to place a full page advertisement in The New York Times, with the headline that implored the United States “Please Get Us Good”.

But today, all doubts were finally swept away. US World War II attacks on Japan are officially over.

“It is done,” said President Obama,” and it is now my fervent hope that, after 67 years, we can all be friends. Japan, we got you good.”

Japanese leaders graciously accepted the US attack, announcing, in a brief statement, that they had been got good.

Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, later expanded on the comments, saying, “We got you good in 1941, but this time, you got us good.”

The only outstanding issue now remaining from the 1945 Japanese surrender is the once divisive “you can get US good” clause, under which Japan is permitted two atomic bombings of US cities, in retaliation for the American attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The Japanese have promised that they will “be swift and efficient” in carrying out the nuclear attacks, but declined to say which American cities will be targeted, Said officials, “It will be a surprise – but we’ll get you good.”