Japanese prime minister vows to maintain non-nuclear status

Lead

Japan on Thursday commemorated the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi vowing to uphold the country's three non-nuclear principles. The pledge came amid survivor warnings against rearmament and growing debate within the government over the future of Japan's pacifist stance.

Coverage comparison

Two outlets covered the anniversary from distinct angles. Deutsche Welle (DW) focused on the survivors' perspective, highlighting their warnings against Japan's recent military expansion. TASS — English, meanwhile, centered its report on the government's reaffirmation of the non-nuclear principles and the diplomatic context, including the United States' denial of moral responsibility for the bombings.

Key claims

According to TASS — English, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi addressed a gathering of hibakusha — survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings — and said, "We will continue to uphold the three non-nuclear principles and work tirelessly towards a world free of nuclear weapons." The report noted that these principles, which consist of not possessing, producing, or importing nuclear weapons, are not enshrined in law but have been reaffirmed by every Japanese government leader.

TASS — English also reported that hibakusha representatives responded to Takaichi's remarks by asserting that "any calls within the government or ruling party to reconsider these principles are entirely unacceptable." The agency noted that discussions of nuclear armament have remained taboo in Japan for decades, with some politicians referring to a "fourth principle" — not to discuss nuclear issues at all — and calling for its abandonment.

The report stated that since Takaichi assumed the premiership, media outlets have speculated that a review of Japan's national security strategy might include debates on the non-nuclear principles, with some reports suggesting she could advocate for lifting the ban on hosting American nuclear weapons on Japanese soil. TASS — English said Takaichi has publicly stated she has not ordered a revision of the principles, but has been evasive when questioned about Japan's future stance, refusing to confirm whether they will be maintained. The agency also quoted Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi as calling for a more open national debate on nuclear armament — a proposal that has met with strong opposition from hibakusha and anti-nuclear advocates.

Deutsche Welle reported that the US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, killing close to 80,000 people in the initial blast, with a second bomb dropped on Nagasaki three days later. The outlet quoted Masako Wada, assistant secretary general of Nihon Hidankyo, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers' Organizations, who survived the Nagasaki bombing as a 1-year-old, as saying that Japan "adopted a pacifist constitution in reflection on World War II" and "earned the trust of the international community as a country that promised never to wage a war again."

DW noted that in recent years Japan has increased defense spending, eased restrictions on weapons exports, and expanded the role of its military, citing growing risks from China, North Korea, and Russia. Wada told DW that "the current administration is destroying that [trust]," referring to Japan's recent efforts to pivot away from decades of strict postwar pacifism. The report also quoted 84-year-old Masashi Ieshima, who survived the Hiroshima bombing at the age of 3, as saying, "Japan's recent military buildup is no different from recreating the arms race that led the country toward World War II."

DW reported that Ieshima was playing in the entrance of his house, just 1.2 miles from the hypocenter, when the blast shattered all the windows, sending shards of glass into his mother. Seventy years later, he underwent surgery for thyroid cancer, which was officially recognized as an atomic bomb-related illness. His father, who was also exposed to the blast, died of cancer.

TASS — English stated that the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, carried out by the United States at the end of World War II, remain a profound trauma for Japan. The agency also reported that the US government continues to deny moral responsibility for the bombings, and noted that President Joe Biden attended the Hiroshima G7 summit in May 2023.

Perspectives

Japanese government: Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reaffirmed the government's commitment to the three non-nuclear principles, while reports indicate she has been evasive about their long-term future and has not ruled out revision. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has called for a more open national debate on nuclear armament.

Hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors): Survivors and anti-nuclear advocates strongly oppose any reconsideration of the non-nuclear principles, warning that Japan's military buildup risks recreating the arms race that led to World War II.