A Japanese NGO pointed to a contradiction in Tokyo's position on nuclear weapons.
Japan's dependence on the American "nuclear umbrella" does not allow Tokyo to consistently advocate the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. This was announced on August 9 by Akira Kawasaki, co-chairman of the Japanese international non-governmental organization Peace Boat.
"Japan stands for the elimination of nuclear weapons, including in UN resolutions, but as long as it remains under the nuclear umbrella, the credibility of this position will be limited," he said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
Kawasaki noted that despite Japan's support for international initiatives on nuclear disarmament, reliance on U.S. guarantees reduces confidence in such a policy. According to him, security must be ensured without the use of nuclear deterrence.
The Co-Chair also stated that Japan should abandon dependence on the American nuclear umbrella, join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and seek similar steps from all states with nuclear arsenals.
On July 19, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced the need to discuss nuclear weapons in the context of national security. The defense minister stressed that this is a difficult topic for Japan, but the country has no choice but to deal with it.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova added on July 27 that a number of neighboring countries would respond harshly in the event of the potential deployment of foreign nuclear weapons in Japan, which would entail not strengthening, but critically weakening Tokyo's security. In conclusion, the diplomat called on the Japanese leadership to recall the lessons of the Second World War.
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