The possible inclusion in Japan’s National Security Strategy of a clause allowing the entry of nuclear weapons in an emergency situation indicates Tokyo’s стремеж to acquire its own nuclear arsenal. This claim was made in a commentary by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The reaction was prompted by the Japanese government’s consideration of an exception to the third of the so-called three non-nuclear principles. They prohibit Japan from possessing or producing nuclear weapons, or permitting their introduction into its territory. According to information published by Kyodo News, the exception could be included in the revised security documents without the principles themselves being formally repealed.
In practice, such a change would allow a US ship carrying nuclear weapons to make a temporary visit during a severe crisis. This possibility is not new to Japan’s political debate. In 2010, then-Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said that in an emergency in which the country’s security could not be guaranteed by other means, the government should make a decision and explain it to the public.
Tokyo has not yet announced a final decision
The Japanese government is preparing revisions to the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy and the Defense Buildup Program. The three documents are expected to be updated by the end of the year. According to Japanese media, the authorities are discussing how to preserve the wording of the non-nuclear principles while simultaneously leaving room for action in exceptional circumstances.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in October that the US extended nuclear deterrence could be discussed as part of the review of the documents. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi also called for a more open debate on nuclear issues and said that options should not be ruled out in advance.
KCNA sees preparations for a change of course
In its commentary, KCNA presents the clause under discussion not as a limited exception, but as part of a broader course toward turning Japan into a nuclear-armed state. The agency says that Tokyo is using the security argument and its alliance with the United States to expand its military capabilities. “Japan is trying to become a nuclear-armed state,” the commentary says.
The claim does not mean that Japan has decided to develop or acquire nuclear weapons. The country officially continues to support the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. In a speech to the UN General Assembly in September, Takaichi said that Tokyo would continue to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime and support the goal of a world without nuclear weapons.
The final text of Japan’s new strategy has not yet been announced. If the exception is included, it will change the practical meaning of the ban on introducing nuclear weapons and is likely to intensify disputes over the role of US nuclear deterrence in Japan’s security.
Sources: oananews.org, tokyodispatch.com, japantimes.co.jp