Japan's Prime Minister Signals Potential Revision of Country's Historic Non-Nuclear Principles

Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has indicated a potential departure from Japan's longstanding non-nuclear principles during parliamentary discussions this week, generating speculation about possible revisions to the country's ban on nuclear weapons within its territory.

When questioned in parliament on Monday, Takaichi avoided confirming whether Japan's three non-nuclear principles—not possessing, producing, or permitting nuclear weapons on Japanese soil—would remain intact in the upcoming revision of Japan's security strategy.

"I cannot make a definitive statement or specify how it will be written," Takaichi stated in response to an opposition lawmaker's inquiry, though she acknowledged that currently, the government still follows these principles as policy guidelines.

Her reluctance to explicitly commit to these principles, which have been maintained by Japanese governments since 1967, suggests she may be considering revisions to the third principle prohibiting nuclear weapons from entering Japan's territory.

Before assuming office, Takaichi described this third principle as impractical in a 2024 publication, arguing that the United States might need to bring nuclear weapons into Japan to effectively deter regional adversaries. Like neighboring South Korea, Japan operates under the protection of Washington's "nuclear umbrella."

A Reuters investigation published in August revealed growing political and public willingness to reconsider this commitment, despite nuclear weapons remaining a sensitive topic in the only nation to have experienced atomic bombing.

Several lawmakers within Takaichi's ruling Liberal Democratic Party have advocated for allowing the U.S. to bring nuclear weapons into Japan via submarines or other platforms to enhance deterrence capabilities as China expands its nuclear arsenal.

Takaichi's coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party (Ishin), has previously supported reconsidering the three non-nuclear principles.

Anti-nuclear organizations in Japan strongly oppose such changes, arguing that Tokyo has a moral obligation to reject nuclear weapons, including their presence on Japanese territory, due to the devastating atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at World War Two's conclusion.

However, as these historical memories fade and regional security threats intensify, public opinion polls indicate increasing openness to discussing alternative nuclear postures.

When questioned about Takaichi's position during a regular news conference on Wednesday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara declined to provide clarification, stating that the government "refrains from making any assumptions at this stage."