TOKYO: In comments that have sent shock waves in Japan, on Thursday (December 18), a senior official at the Prime Minister’s Office told local reporters that “Japan should possess nuclear weapons,” because of the “severe security situation” around the nation, including China’s growing nuclear power, Russia’s nuclear threats, and North Korea’s nuclear program.
The unnamed official, who advises Prime Minister TAKAICHI Sanae on security issues, also questioned whether the U.S. nuclear protection can truly be trusted. For these reasons, he said, “In the end, we can only rely on ourselves.”
His remarks were disseminated by prominent Japanese media outlets including Kyodo News, Jiji Press, and Asahi Shimbun Newspaper.
However, the official said he was sharing his opinion, not the government’s official stance.
He admitted that Japan would face many challenges if it tried to obtain nuclear weapons. For example, the government has not discussed this issue much, and Japan has signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). He said getting nuclear weapons is not as simple as buying something from a store.
The treaty is known to benefit five countries: the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and China, all of which have nuclear weapons. He also said that changing Japan’s Three Non-Nuclear Principles would require significant political support.
Before taking office, Prime Minister Takaichi called for a review of the “no nuclear weapons introduction” rule, which is one of the three non-nuclear principles. However, after taking office, she avoided confirming this position.
Many people in Japan are watching the war in Ukraine and seeing the destruction caused by Russia, even though Ukraine has received support from the West. “We don’t want to be another Ukraine,” a Japanese expert told Arab News Japan, commenting favorably on the senior official’s remarks about nuclear weapons.
“The escalating war in Ukraine, worsening relations with China, Russian Chinese military exercises near our territories, and tensions with North Korea have all caused serious concerns about our security,” she said.
There is a growing debate in Japan about its post-World War II peace policy and how best to keep the country safe.
Peace-oriented groups in Japan express their firm opposition to nuclear weapons, asserting that such armaments do not represent a solution, as any nuclear conflict would inevitably lead to the destruction of humanity.