Takaichi sparks debate over Japan's non-nuclear principles
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sparked media speculation on Thursday after remarks following the 81st Hiroshima memorial raised questions over the future of the country's Three Non-Nuclear Principles.
"First, as a government, we firmly uphold the Three Non-Nuclear Principles as a policy guideline," Takaichi told reporters, adding that Japan would pursue "realistic and practical efforts" towards a world without nuclear weapons.
Japanese media focused on Takaichi's choice of words, noting that previous prime ministers had explicitly referred to maintaining the principles in the future, while her remarks were framed in the present tense.
Asked about revisions to Japan's National Security Strategy, National Defence Strategy and Defence Buildup Programme, Takaichi said discussions were ongoing and declined to prejudge their outcome.
"There is no change in viewing the Three Non-Nuclear Principles as our policy course," she added.
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The principles commit Japan to not possessing or producing nuclear weapons and not allowing their entry into Japanese territory. Takaichi has previously questioned the third principle.
Her remarks came as Hiroshima marked 81 years since the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the city during World War II, killing around 140,000 people.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
