Japan's pacifist course under strain as nuclear restraints face challenge

Standing at a site marked by historical suffering, yet turning a blind eye to the warnings of the future, Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has again sparked fresh concerns over her remarks regarding the nation's anti-nuclear principles.

At a memorial ceremony held on Sunday at Nagasaki's Peace Park to commemorate the 81st anniversary of the US atomic bombing of the city, Takaichi, when addressing the event, reiterated her ambiguous remarks that Japan "is upholding" the Three Non-Nuclear Principles. Her wording differed subtly from that of previous prime ministers, stopping short of explicitly pledging that the country will uphold the principles.

According to the Tokyo Shimbun, since Takaichi took office in October last year, at least 128 local assemblies from 36 prefectures across Japan have submitted written opinions to the Diet, Japan's parliament, urging the government to stand firm on the Three Non-Nuclear Principles. The number marks a record high since the Diet began accepting such submissions in July 2000.

The sharp contrast between citizens' calls to preserve the anti-nuclear commitments and voices within the political establishment advocating a review of the principles reflects a profound challenge facing Japan's postwar pacifist identity.

Loosening the principles: dangerous test of public acceptance

The Three Non-Nuclear Principles, established as a cornerstone of Japan's postwar policy, prohibit the country from possessing, producing or permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons into the territory.

However, the principles have now become a subject of open political debate.

Japanese media previously reported that officials within the Takaichi administration had considered whether to review the "no introduction of nuclear weapons" clause when revising Japan's key security documents later this year. The issue drew further attention after Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said during a television program in July that Japan should discuss nuclear-related policies "without taboos."

Under Takaichi's leadership, the traditional peace-oriented boundaries of Japanese politics have increasingly become tools of political maneuvering, Meng Mingming, an assistant researcher at the Institute of Japanese Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told CMG.

He said the government's calls to reconsider the Three Non-Nuclear Principles represent a "desensitization test" by right-wing forces – gradually bringing previously untouchable issues into mainstream debate and turning established red lines into negotiable policy options.

Remilitarization: Eroding foundations of pacifism

The nuclear debate comes amid Japan's broader military expansion.

On August 4, the Takaichi government released Defense of Japan 2026, which hyped up a so-called "increasingly severe" regional security environment. The document identified China as "its greatest strategic challenge" while presenting defense investment as beneficial to Japan's economy and society.

Takakage Fujita, secretary-general of the Association for Inheriting and Propagating the Murayama Statement, said the white paper was essentially designed to build momentum for revising Japan's three key security documents by the end of this year and advancing further military expansion.

Japan's military buildup has become increasingly visible. In March, Japan deployed the Type 25 surface-to-ship guided missile and the Type 25 hypervelocity gliding projectiles in Kumamoto and Shizuoka prefectures, respectively, marking the country's first deployment of long-range missiles with enemy base strike capabilities.

According to the white paper, Japan will further expand its counterstrike capabilities by developing air-launched and ship-launched variants of the Type 25 missile, advancing research on hypersonic missiles, and introducing foreign-made stand-off missiles.

In April, the Takaichi government revised Japan's three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology, allowing exports of lethal weapons in principle. Fujita described the move as a reversal of Japan's postwar pacifist course and "a reckless move that opens the door to war."

Japan's defense budget for fiscal 2027 is expected to reach around 8.9 trillion yen (around $55.9 billion), with a senior government official suggesting the final amount could rise to 10 trillion yen (around $62.8 billion), setting another record.

Makoto Ito, director of the Japan Institute of Constitutional Law, warned that the white paper's emphasis on boosting "comprehensive national power" to address so-called security challenges could bring civilian technologies and social resources into the defense framework, reflecting a dangerous drive toward remilitarization.

Public and regional concerns

Meanwhile, anti-war sentiment remains strong among sections of Japanese society.

At the Nagasaki memorial ceremony, Mayor Shiro Suzuki called nuclear weapons an "absolute evil" and urged the Japanese government to fulfill its historical responsibility.

On May 3, Constitution Memorial Day, around 50,000 people gathered in Tokyo to defend Japan's pacifist Constitution. The BBC reported that Japan has witnessed some of the largest anti-war demonstrations in decades, with protests spreading from Tokyo to Osaka, Kyoto and Fukuoka.

Meng said the contrast between public sentiment and the government's security agenda reveals a deep divide between Japanese society and right-wing political forces represented by Takaichi.

He said Japan's current push for military expansion is being driven largely by conservative forces seeking to reshape the country's long-standing peace consensus.

Also, as the only country to have suffered nuclear attacks, Japan's nuclear policy choices carry implications beyond domestic politics and are closely tied to regional stability in Northeast Asia and the foundation of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime.

Japan had refused to reflect on its wartime history while repeatedly fabricating narratives about threats from neighboring countries to justify military expansion. He warned that Japan's remilitarization had become a real threat to regional peace and stability, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.

Russian Ambassador to Japan Nikolai Nozdrev said abandoning the Three Non-Nuclear Principles would directly violate Japan's international obligations as a non-nuclear state under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and could seriously worsen security tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, prompting countermeasures from other countries.