While attending a ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made ambiguous remarks on Japan's "Three Non-Nuclear Principles," further fueling public concerns in Japan.

Japan has recently been accelerating its military buildup. Its latest defense white paper continues to highlight what it describes as growing security threats in the region, while its newly established National Intelligence Bureau is being viewed as a key step of Japan's emerging "neo-militarism."

History does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes.

Japan has every right to strengthen its national defense. But it also has a responsibility to demonstrate to its neighbors that its growing military capabilities will contribute to regional stability rather than deepen anxieties rooted in history.