8 Abe Cabinet officials favor considering Japan's nuclear armament

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8 Abe Cabinet officials favor considering Japan's nuclear armament

Foreign Minister Aso Taro and Liberal Democratic Party Policy Research Council Chair Nakagawa Shoichi have recently argued that in the wake of the North Korea nuclear test, the issue of Japan's nuclear armament needs to be discussed publicly.

Faced with the strong criticism that these outrageous remarks have provoked, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo stated that his government will maintain the Three Non-nuclear Principles (not to manufacture, possess or allow nuclear weapons to be brought into Japan) as a national policy.

However, it is not a coincidence that the two of Abe's key officials have expressed the view in favor of changing the national policy. In fact, Abe himself and other cabinet ministers hold the same opinion as Aso and Nakagawa.

During the House of Representatives election campaign in November 2003, Mainichi Shimbun conducted a questionnaire survey to ask candidates about their policies, including on Japan's nuclear armament.

Concerning the question, the paper gave three options that were: (1) Japan must forever refrain from considering it; (2) Japan should consider it depending on the international situation; and (3) Japan should immediately begin to consider it.

Those who chose "Japan should consider nuclear armament depending on the international situation" include Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, Foreign Minister Aso Taro, Justice Minister Nagase Jin'en, Financial Services Minister Yamamoto Yuji, Vice Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi, Vice Agriculture Minister Yamamoto Taku, Vice Education Minister Ikenobo Yasuko, and Prime Ministerial Adviser on National Security Koike Yuriko.

Nakagawa Shoichi also chose the second option.
- Akahata, October 21, 2006