Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi maintained a stance of ambiguity regarding the future of her country’s nuclear policies on Sunday, declining to explicitly pledge continued adherence to Japan’s decades-old “Three Non-Nuclear Principles” during an address marking the 81st anniversary of the US atomic bombing of Nagasaki. Delivering her annual address to atomic bomb survivors, their families, and domestic and foreign diplomats, Takaichi reiterated Japan’s current stance of not possessing, producing, or permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons into its territory, as reported by the Japan Times. However, departing from previous prime ministers who frequently pledged that Japan “will continue to adhere” to these rules, Takaichi only described the government’s current position without offering a clear guarantee regarding future compliance. Ambiguity Amid Security Document Review This ambiguous approach mirrored a speech she delivered three days prior in Hiroshima to mark the anniversary of that city’s atomic bombing. Her appearance in Nagasaki was her first as the country’s leader and drew significant attention as her government continues discussions to revise key national security documents by the end of the year. This ongoing review has prompted questions over whether the Three Non-Nuclear Principles could be amended. When asked during a press conference on Sunday whether the government’s position had shifted in light of the security document discussions, Takaichi maintained a cautious tone. “We are currently proceeding with discussions regarding the revision of security documents… and therefore I will refrain from making any prejudgements regarding the actual wording,” she stated, while reaffirming that her government continues to adhere to the principles “as a government policy.” Previous Stance on US Nuclear Umbrella Since taking office, Takaichi has not clarified whether she intends to retain or modify the non-nuclear principles. However, in her 2024 book titled “Research into National Power,” she wrote that while the principles of not possessing and not producing nuclear weapons “must be maintained,” preventing the introduction of nuclear weapons into Japanese territory is “unrealistic” if Tokyo expects the United States to provide “extended deterrence,” referring to the US nuclear umbrella. She wrote that upholding this specific principle “could become an obstacle” should Japan face an “extreme crisis.” Local Leaders Urge Continued Commitment Prior to Takaichi’s speech, local officials pressed the central government to maintain its historical stance. In the city’s annual peace declaration, Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki called on the Japanese government to firmly uphold the Three Non-Nuclear Principles, which are grounded in Japan’s pacifist constitution. Similarly, Nagasaki Governor Ken Hirata directed his remarks to the government, stating: “As the only country to have suffered an atomic bombing during wartime, and in light of a rapidly changing international security environment, I call on the government to continue leading the international community and make every possible effort to abolish nuclear weapons, while maintaining the Three Non-Nuclear Principles.” Remembering the Nagasaki Victims Takaichi’s remarks coincided with Nagasaki’s solemn remembrance of the attack. Participants observed a minute of silence at 11:02 a.m., the exact time the atomic bomb detonated on August 9, 1945, resulting in the deaths of approximately 74,000 people. The attack marked the second, and still the most recent, use of a nuclear weapon in an armed conflict, following the Hiroshima bombing that killed around 140,000 people. Japan surrendered days later, on August 15, 1945, marking the end of World War II. “Our country firmly upholds the Three Non-Nuclear Principles and pledges that Nagasaki will be the last city to suffer a nuclear attack,” Takaichi said in her address. “We are working on realistic and practical initiatives to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons.” Dwindling Survivor Numbers During her address, Takaichi emphasised the importance of conveying a clearer picture of the bombings’ impacts, urging world leaders and future leaders to visit the bombed cities and “experience the reality of the bombing firsthand.” This call comes amid growing concerns that, more than eight decades after the attacks, fewer survivors remain to pass their direct testimonies of the disaster to future generations. According to the Japanese government, the number of atomic bomb survivors fell below 100,000 for the first time last year. As of March, there were about 91,000 survivors across Japan, with an average age of 86.6 years. Global Nuclear Concerns Despite calls from nations including Japan for a “world free of nuclear weapons,” concerns over nuclear proliferation have escalated in recent years. In 2017, the United Nations adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which bans the development, testing, production, acquisition, possession, stockpiling, and use of nuclear weapons, as well as the threat to use them. While dozens of countries have ratified the treaty, none of the declared nuclear-armed states have signed it. The post Japan’s Takaichi sparks ambiguity over nuclear policies as Nagasaki marks 81st atomic bombing anniversary first appeared on Dailynewsegypt.
