Japan Press Weekly

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2022 March 2 - 8 TOP3 [POLITICS]

Shii demands retraction of 'Ishin' party's proposal toward 'nuclear sharing' arrangement

The "Nippon Ishin no Kai" party on March 3 submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs an urgent proposal calling for launching debates concerning a "nuclear sharing" arrangement to deploy U.S. nuclear weapons in Japan and jointly operate them.

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo held a press conference in the Diet building to criticize the Ishin party for making such a dangerous proposal that has the potential to lead Japan to participate in a nuclear war, and demanded an immediate retraction of the proposal.

Shii pointed out that now that the Russian government is openly exercising nuclear threats against Ukraine, the international community is acutely aware that nuclear weapons are "absolute evils" which should not have been allowed for mankind to possess. He said, "At a time like this, discussions whether to allow Japan to 'share' nuclear weapons with the United States will mean that Japan is in the same position as Russian President Putin who seeks to counter a nuclear threat with nuclear weapons." He went on to say, "If a nuclear threat were countered with nuclear weapons, many countries in the world would acquire nuclear weapons and the fate of humanity would be doomed."

Shii stated, "There is only one way to remove nuclear threats. That is, the total abolition of nuclear weapons from the planet. The UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) clearly spells this out. Japan should seriously consider signing and ratifying this treaty."

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'Ishin' party favors nukes to be deployed in Japan

Matsui Ichiro, who heads the Ishin party, on February 28 before the press corps made a mockery of Japan's "Three Non-nuclear Principles", saying that the Three Principles are outdated values. Referring to the remark Prime Minister Kishida made during an Upper House Budget Committee meeting that the government has no intent to discuss a nuclear sharing arrangement, Matsui on March 2 said to the press, "I think that that is nonsense. Together with supra-partisan Dietmembers, I'd like to ask (the people) if we really do not need to discuss this (a possible sharing of nuclear weapons)."

Also, former Osaka City Mayor Hashimoto Toru, the founder of the Ishin party, appearing on a Fuji TV network program broadcast on February 27 along with former PM Abe, said, "We should also consider deploying medium-range missiles in Japan in coordination with the United States," following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Hashimoto insisted, "A nuclear-sharing arrangement should also be discussed." Abe in response to Hashimoto came around to Hashimoto's opinion, saying that nuclear-sharing discussions "should not be considered taboo".

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DPP changes course to break 'Three Non-Nuclear Principles'

Tamaki Yuichiro, leader of the Democratic Party for the People (DPP), at a news conference on March 1 said, "We should have thorough discussions" on whether to create exceptions in the Three Non-nuclear Principles (not to possess, manufacture, or allow the bringing-in of nuclear weapons).