Nuclear signal from Japan: Tokyo considers major policy change

The Japanese government is considering allowing nuclear weapons to be brought into the country on an exceptional basis in emergency situations.

TodayPress TV reports, citing government sources quoted by Sankei Shimbun, that Tokyo is currently discussing amendments to the documents governing the country’s nuclear policy to allow for such a possibility.

Japan currently adheres to three non-nuclear principles: not possessing nuclear weapons, not producing them, and not allowing them to be brought into the country. According to the report, the government does not plan to formally alter these principles.

At the same time, Japan is seeking to strengthen its deterrence capabilities against potential threats by relying on the United States’ “nuclear umbrella.”

Among the options under discussion is allowing US military vessels carrying nuclear weapons to enter Japanese ports. Proposals have also been put forward to strengthen the country’s naval capabilities with nuclear-powered submarines.

The report notes that a number of legal and security issues would need to be resolved before such changes could be implemented. In particular, it would be necessary to clarify under what emergency circumstances nuclear weapons could be brought into the country.

Japan’s leadership is reportedly planning to adopt new key security policy documents by the end of 2026.

Turkan Iskandarli