Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi stated that Japan needs a debate on nuclear weapons, as some European countries seek greater nuclear deterrence.
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Japan “cannot avoid addressing” the issue, the minister said, at a time when the government is considering updating key documents that outline the country’s security policy, including a possible review of the decades-old commitment not to produce, possess, or host nuclear weapons.
Formulated in 1967 and formally known as the country’s “three non-nuclear principles,” this promise has been systematically respected by governments ever since.
Koizumi mentioned France and Finland as examples of countries implementing policies that favor greater nuclear deterrence.
In June, the Finnish parliament approved a bill that would allow nuclear weapons to enter the country, while French President Emmanuel Macron declared in March that his country would increase the number of nuclear warheads.
Although Japan relies on the U.S. nuclear umbrella, it is the only country to have suffered a nuclear attack and maintains its three principles of not producing, possessing, or allowing nuclear weapons on its territory.
Koizumi stated that Japan’s security environment has become more hostile and argued that Japan needs to change a situation where some topics are considered unacceptable for debate.
In December last year, a source involved in drafting the security policy of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government stated that Japan should possess nuclear weapons, which provoked a strong reaction from opposition parties and some countries.
Former Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera also stated at the end of last year that Japan needs to debate the future of its anti-nuclear principles.
