Premier’s Staff Advocates Nuclear Japan

Newspapers simultaneously reported on December 19th that an anonymous staff in the prime minister’s office told the reporters that Japan should possess nuclear weapons in the future. The person, who was in a position to give advices to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on security policies, revealed a personal view to the reporters in the context of enhancing Japan’s own deterrence. The opposition parties in Japan and some neighbor countries strongly opposed to that idea. 

Citing severe security environment around Japan with growing nuclear capability of China, nuclear provocation of Russia and nuclear development of North Korea, the staff argued that Japan needed to discuss possession of nuclear weapons of its own, also referring to credibility of nuclear umbrella of the United States. The staff also indicated that no discussion had actually made in Takaichi administration, and admitted that such discussion would be unrealistic, concerning Japan’s obligation to maintain the regime of Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

 

The NPT gives five countries, the U.S., Russia, the U.K., France and China, the right to possess nuclear weapons, with obligation of them to eliminate those weapons. Japan’s possession of nuclear weapons will violate the treaty. Furthermore, Japan maintains the Three Non-Nuclear Principles, which prohibit possessing, producing and introduction of nuclear weapons. The staff told that it would require vast political energy to revise those principles.

 

Although the staff indicated that there had never been such discussion in Takaichi administration, the comment invited sharp opposition among parties. “It is a problem that such a person is close to the prime minister. It would be appropriate for the staff to step down,” told the leader of Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Yoshihiko Noda. Former Minister of Defense and a lawmaker of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Gen Nakatani, demanded self-restraint of staff of the government on this issue and required resignation.

 

“China is shocked,” said a spokesman of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lin Jian, in his press conference. Lin stressed that the comment was “a blatant challenge to the postwar international order and non-proliferation regime, a serious threat to regional and international peace and stability, and a U-turn from Japan’s commitment to “peaceful development.”

 

North Korea immediately responded. “Such reckless remarks made by a high-ranking official in charge of recommending security policies to the government prove that the Japanese pollical circle is trying hard to possess nuclear weapons, and clearly show Japan’s bellicose and aggressive nature,” said the director of the Institute for Japan Studies in North Korean foreign ministry.

 

It is true that there is an argument of reviewing the Three Non-Nuclear Principles in Takaichi administration. “It should be one of the agenda to deal with for responsible politics,” said the chairman of LDP Research Council on Security, Itsunori Onodera. Consecutive pressure from China and maintenance of high popularity of Japan’s prime minister who openly touched on “Taiwan contingency” seem to have unleashed taboos on nuclear option of Japan, which may further exacerbate regional security environment.

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