U.S. urges Japan not to join nuclear ban treaty meeting

The US and Japan have different political needs internationally. When those needs align, they should work together, but when they don't align, each should do what they feel is best for their national interests.

The US asking Japan to not attend a meeting seems just over a line that shouldn't be crossed, but informally asking for support is what friends do.

The same applies to Germany and other friends to the US, at least in my view.

Japan should do as it pleases concerning this issue.

USA and its constipated constitution and regurgitated rhetoric can take a hike.

Nuclear weapons have proven to be an effective deterrent to war.

Japan, the only nation subjected to nuclear attack, became the first nation to outlaw war.

Perhaps other belligerent governments need to experience the same lesson.

Japan must go nuclear.

It's a matter of time.

There are way better weapons the a nuclear option today. Just Close down the network and 99% of population would know how to negotiate the day without their phone.

A nuclear weapons-free world is everyone's wish and dream. Thus, nuclear nations endeavored to reduce or eliminate their possession of nuclear weapons by signing various agreements. JFK took initiative to sign the 1963 Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmospher, in Outer Space and Under Water. The ultimate goal for JFK must have been a complete nuclear-free world.

The UN-initiated Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is on the same track as JFK pursued and laid down. But why has the U.S. government been opposed to it? Why is the U.S. government trying to botch Japan's attempt to participate in it even as an observer?

Seems there have been a significant number of people within the U.S. government who think JFK's agenda to realize the nuclear-free world was wrong.

Japan is the only country to be bombed in war. But millions more have suffered from nuclear bomb testing--this includes in the U.S., in the Nevada dessert that caused cancer in "Downwinders" in Utah.

Japan has a right to join the the nuclear ban treaty meeting. I say go, Japan. What is the United States going to do if you go? Take way your bath towels?

The sad and scary thing is that nuclear weapons stockpiles possibly have kept us from a world war. That said, nuclear weapons can destroy the world in a nuclear accident. This likely would have happened were it not for a clear thinking Russian officer.

My bad!

Why?

Kishida, your master has spoken.

There have been no major wars since the advent of nuclear brinkmanship. Without the threat of a nuclear holocaust, it would be easier for the major nations to slip into major conflicts.

That said, it will be very, very interesting to see how the Western democracies react if the Russian dictatorship decides to attempt to reconquer Ukraine. In my opinion, Russia is too weak economically to sustain a long conflict. If Putin's military can be stopped, it is only a matter of time before Russia goes bankrupt, with all that that would imply.

I don't want to see Nuclear Weapons be used again, but having them is the best way to keep others from repeating the past on Japanese cities.

I'm in favor of no first use policy if banning them is just a dream.

No major wars? Korean War. Vietnam War. Bosnian/Kosovo. Afghanistan. Iraq. Syria. Suez. Yemen. Palestine/Israel.

Let alone as stated in posts: those harmed by nuclear testing.

Currently: tens of millions of refugees due to military conflict and its consequences. Over 80 million refugees, more that after WW2.

Hardly a viable argument against a treaty to ban or limit nuclear weapons.

That the USA can determine whether the PM of Japan can attend a treaty session speaks for itself.

Those espousing what is queerly deigned as realpolitik is amusing - that nuclear war is a viable element of foreign policy, instead of what it actually entails: destruction of all life on the planet. Check out the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists and the Doomsday Clock.

U.S. urges Japan not to join nuclear ban treaty meeting

Wow. The only country ever to use nukes is telling the country it nuked not to join a nuclear ban treaty meating??

Japan can't say "no" to the USA, because the LDP can't say "no." It's that simple.

I do not think US has any friends, it managed to take a dump on everyone...

And the U.S. @TokyoLiving has learned from its past that nukes are a 'no win' for anyone possessing them. Your own words [paraphrased] from earlier this week in a related thread:

- "Every country, every kingdom, every empire has a cruel and barbaric past

and Japan it is not the only country that has committed such atrocities..

Although it was another Japan, it should recognize its past mistakes, have a better relationship between all Asian countries," -

Articles like these are useless.

Anyone who knows anything knows that japan is a screwdriver's turn away from having a nuclear weapon.

Is it only nations that have no nuclear powers whi have signed on to this? if so the whole thing sounds pretty meaningless.

Japan aspires to a world free of nuclear weapons as the only country to have suffered the devastation of atomic bombings.

And yet won’t join the treaty.

argh! Don’t you hate it being someone’s lapdog?! You want to go out for a walk, but master won’t open the door. You want to eat, but you don’t have opposable digits to open the cupboard and get it yourself. You want to rid the world of animal cruelty but the master that crippled you twice won’t let you tell anyone and handicapped your constitution making it almost impossible to have an assertive military that can preemptively attack under cases of imminent threat. Hashtag $uckstobejapan

Germany and Japan lost WW2. That's the only thing we have in common.

Germany never suffered Two Nuclear Attacks on its cities. Never suffered one Nuclear Attack. Germany is cuddled by major EU alliance which only has to worry about Russia. No China or Nuclear Korea next door. Germans keeps making bad decisions.... leave Japan out of it.

Mark EDec. 21  11:36 pm JST

Japan aspires to a world free of nuclear weapons as the only country to have suffered the devastation of atomic bombings.

And yet won’t join the treaty.

argh! Don’t you hate it being someone’s lapdog?!

Japan is protected by US nuclear weapons,. So it is simply protecting it's own butt. Best get a clue.