Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has said the country should openly examine the place of nuclear deterrence in its security policy, The Mainichi reported.
Koizumi referred to policy shifts in Europe, where some governments are reconsidering their nuclear deterrence policies.
He cited Finland, which approved legislation in June allowing nuclear weapons to enter the country, and France, where President Emmanuel Macron announced plans in March to increase the size of the national nuclear arsenal.
Japan officially rejects nuclear weapons under its longstanding Three Non-Nuclear Principles, which prohibit the country from possessing, producing, or allowing nuclear weapons to be brought onto its territory.
Moreover, Tokyo’s policy is reinforced by the country’s commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The issue remains especially sensitive because Japan is the only country to have been attacked with nuclear weapons when the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.
Broader Defense Debate
Koizumi’s remarks come as Japan continues to reassess its long-term defense policy amid a deteriorating regional security environment.
In December, an official involved in drafting Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi‘s security policy argued that Tokyo should acquire nuclear weapons, triggering criticism from opposition parties and several foreign governments, according to The Mainichi.
The debate follows other signs that Tokyo is reexamining long-held defense policies.
Last October, a government-backed advisory panel recommended that the ministry of defense assess nuclear propulsion as a possible option for future Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force submarines.
It marked the first time an official panel called for an examination of nuclear-powered submarines.
