"Japan's Security Environment Is Becoming Increasingly Severe"
Concerns Raised Over the Reliability of the U.S. Nuclear Umbrella
A high-ranking official in the Japanese government has sparked controversy by stating that "Japan should possess nuclear weapons."
According to NHK and the Asahi Shimbun on December 18, a senior official at the Prime Minister's Office expressed a "personal opinion" based on the serious security environment surrounding Japan, saying, "There needs to be a discussion about Japan independently possessing nuclear weapons."
This official is in a position to offer advice to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on security policy and related matters. However, he stated that there is currently no such discussion taking place within the Takaichi administration. He also said that, considering the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) system and the need for balance, it would be difficult to realize. He did not mention any target date for nuclear armament.
According to reports, the official pointed out that the security environment around Japan is becoming more severe due to China's nuclear buildup, Russia's nuclear threats, and North Korea's nuclear development, and raised concerns about the reliability of the U.S. nuclear umbrella.
The official's remarks were reportedly made during an off-the-record briefing with reporters. The Asahi Shimbun noted that Japan's possession of nuclear weapons is incompatible with the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles." These principles, announced in 1967 by then-Prime Minister Eisaku Sato, state that Japan will not possess, produce, or permit the introduction of nuclear weapons. They were also adopted by the National Diet in 1971. One of the three key security documents adopted at the Cabinet meeting in 2022, the National Security Strategy, also clearly states that "the basic policy of adhering to the Three Non-Nuclear Principles will remain unchanged in the future."
Prime Minister Takaichi has previously argued that the "no introduction" part of the Three Non-Nuclear Principles should be reconsidered. The official said, "I have not discussed a review of the Three Non-Nuclear Principles with Prime Minister Takaichi." At the House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting on November 11, when asked whether the administration would maintain the phrase "uphold the Three Non-Nuclear Principles" in the three major security documents, he replied, "It is not my place to comment at this stage," avoiding a direct answer.
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