Japan's defense debate reached new intensity this week as critics nationwide react to bold remarks and policy shifts under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Since she took office earlier this year, Takaichi has pushed to revise Japan's postwar security stance, stirring both excitement and unease. Observers say Tokyo's tougher talk and proposed changes to the Three Non-Nuclear Principles signal a tilt toward a more assertive military posture. 🤔
Reports emerged recently that a senior security official in the Prime Minister's Office suggested Japan 'should possess nuclear weapons'. The comment, directly challenging the nation's long-standing non-nuclear commitment, ignited a fierce backlash.
Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, demanded on December 22 that Takaichi dismiss the official. He argued it is unacceptable to have a nuclear advocate in charge of security policy.
Taku Yamazoe, policy chief of the Japanese Communist Party, added that as the only country to suffer atomic bombings, Japan must never abandon its Three Non-Nuclear Principles. He called the nuclear talk 'absolutely unacceptable' and urged the removal of the remarks and those behind them.
Japanese media joined the chorus. On December 20, the Ryukyu Shimpo editorial labeled nuclear armament talk a serious departure from national policy, saying it deeply wounds survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and must be firmly rejected. 📜
Also on December 22, the Hiroshima Prefectural Assembly unanimously passed a resolution urging the central government to uphold the Three Non-Nuclear Principles. Lawmakers stressed that the tragedies of August 1945 must never be repeated and voiced the public's desire for a nuclear-free world.
Japan's postwar security framework was shaped in 1967 when Prime Minister Eisaku Sato set out the Three Non-Nuclear Principles: not possessing, not producing, and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons. While reaffirmed over decades, critics fear recent moves could erode this cornerstone of Japanese pacifism. 🔒
The debate continues, with both supporters and opponents watching closely as Tokyo navigates its security future.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
