JCP Ichida criticizes LDP policy chief's suggestion for Japan's nuclear armament

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

JCP Ichida criticizes LDP policy chief's suggestion for Japan's nuclear armament

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi at a press conference on October 16 severely criticized Liberal Democratic Party Policy Research Council Chair Nakagawa Shoichi's remark encouraging discussions on Japan's possession of nuclear weapons.

Nakagawa said on a TV program aired on October 15, "We need to discuss a lot" about Japan's possible possession of nuclear weapons in the wake of the North Korean nuclear test.

Ichida stated, "Nakagawa's remark is the worst kind of the 'an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth' logic. As Prime Minister Abe has repeatedly stated in the Diet that Japan will maintain the Three Non-Nuclear Principles as its national policy, there is no room at all for discussing about possession of nuclear weapons."

The JCP representative stressed that the need now is for Japan to make peaceful diplomatic efforts to solve the issue in cooperation with the international community in line with the unanimous U.N. Security Council resolution. Ichida said, "Nakagawa's view to regard it as a matter of course to discuss about Japan's nuclear armament is totally irresponsible."

In light of the situation that the number of nuclear weapons possessing nations has increased since the NPT regime was established in 1970, Ichida pointed out that now that a new nation has declared its possession of nuclear weapons, "we should seriously seek the total abolition of nuclear weapons as the only way to actually solve the problem."

He stated, "For that matter, the peaceful role Japan should play internationally as the only atomic bombed nation and as a nation with the Three-Non-Nuclear Principles is very important."
- Akahata, October 17, 2006