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Abe thinks it's imperative for Japan to have some kind of independent attacking power against China or North Korea. And that includes possibly a nuclear arsenal. But he also knows it would be suicidal for any politician to advocate for Japan to have nuclear weapons, so he wants to activate the debate.

11 Comments

Professor Yoichi Shimada, a conservative academic and long-time friend and advisor to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who has begun saying publicly that Japan should think seriously and urgently about nuclear weapons.

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Surrounded by evil authoritarian and totalitarian nuclear powers and yet oblivious to the threat confronting Japan. Only one man (Abe) has the nous and conviction to think strategically about his homeland's security.

Those in office like Kono was actively cancelling strategic defenses (ie AEGIS Ashore), Japanese businesses doing energy deals with Russia with huge geopolitical consequences for the country.

Japan's neighbours aren't showing 'relationship building' manners, and Japan's principal partner (USA) seemingly operates on a 'who has nukes' can do what ever they want basis.

Just look at Ukraine and how its peaceful intentions in given up its nukes has result in its destruction while USA look on. Meanwhile NK is left alone to send ICBMs into Japan's waters.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

This is actually a fascinating discussion.

Nuclear weapons, whilst ostensibly an attack device, are really about defence and deterrence seeing that they never get used. The question is - how badly do Japan need them? Exactly how much of a threat are China and North Korea? Or Russia even?

Recent events in Ukraine show that vulnerable countries can be attacked in the geopolitical human chess match, but would any of those 3 actually threaten Japan? At the present time you'd have to say that answer to that question is no, but things can and do change. Is it conceivable that China, Russia and North Korea take steps to create a more formal, more aggressive union with expansionist ambitions? I'd say that is conceivable. Maybe not likely, but conceivable. And that suddenly makes Japan and South Korea look much more vulnerable, or at the very least 2 countries that need very robust militaries and defence capabilities. If you are the leader of a country, it's your job to consider these possibilities.

Japan's pacifist constitution is noble and idealistic. But it's not very practical for the 130 million people who live here. Japan's past military history has no bearing on this argument in my opinion. The lunatic fringe militaristic, nationalist forces that controlled and manipulated Japan and wreaked havoc in the region 80-90 years ago are redundant to this conversation and contemporary Japan.

The world's 3rd largest economy has the world's 6th largest military. It's already pretty stacked. But China and Russia rank 2&3 and are both Nuclear States. They are also both in close proximity to Japan.

If anything, I'd expect Japan to be one of the most responsible and circumspect holders of nuclear weapons. But ultimately the Japanese people have to decide if they need a little more, and I reckon they have every right to hold that debate.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Behaviour during the world war and colonial era has tarnished us forever, sadly.

What has this ^^^ got to do with Japan's security threat, and how it navigates it?

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Thought provoking indeed but who trusts serial liar Abe with anything.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Do not let Japan have any military power.

We all know the carnage Japan did on the WW2.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Why care at all what Abe thinks? He is no longer the PM.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Why care at all what Abe thinks? He is no longer the PM.

Because he was an influential man in Japanese politics for decades. One doesn't become PM without having some thoughts that other people thought were worth listening to. Those thoughts don't stop or go away when he stopped being PM, and many people still respect him and are interested in those thoughts. The PM is a temporary position, the man is still the man.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Thomas GoodtimeMar. 27  10:16 am JST

Abe is an absolute fraud.

Nobody normal here wants Japan to have nuclear capabilities. Behaviour during the world war and colonial era has tarnished us forever, sadly.

Suggested that you might not want to represent opinions of everybody normal here.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

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