Japan supports the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons, but we will not participate in the treaty because our approach is different. Japan is determined to lead the efforts of the international community by acting as a bridge between countries that possess nuclear weapons and those that do not.

Yeah , japan always at the forefront of bringing others together and facilitating the hard conversations. Facing the problems front on, that’s us!

Agree, Waffle.

The only ever country to suffer a nuclear attack on a city, Pure hell on Earth. Not once , but twice Everyone should visit Hiroshima and/or Nagasaki at least once in their lifetime.

They had more respect when they renounced war forever in my books. At the forefront of the anti nuclear weapons push. That was strong. Thought it was so cool back in my university days, I know you grow up to the complexities of the world as you get older , but really? Refusing to join a UN treaty to ban nuclear weapons??

instead we we get doublespeak like this....

More waffle.

You can actually be a bridge between Nuclear & Non-Nuclear states, while also supporting the ban on nuclear weapons - esp as the only country to have ever suffered from nuclear attack.

Just more Abe-Speak for the proleteriat.

This is not only double talk but extremely lame double talk. Japan may indeed have nuclear allergy, but Abe and the LDP have an extreme collective case of hypocrisy. What is real lesson of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? It was not okay to nuke Japan but it’s okay to nuke anyone else.

Hypocrites. Japan has always been a huge supporter of the nuclear umbrella and always opposed reductions and decommissioning.

An incredibly worth goal that simply cannot happen given the vast gulf between nuclear weapons states and among several, a complete lack of real trust. I see proliferation being the more likely outcome going ahead.

A global MAD scenario.

Gotta keep those options open.