Nuclear Deterrence the Only Way to Protect Japan from Catastrophe

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Eighty years ago, the United States military dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima (August 6) and on Nagasaki (August 9). These, the first nuclear attacks in human history took a horrific toll in human lives. Many of those who managed to survive the attack suffered from radiation sickness. Among those individuals, many later died. Most were non-combatants, including the elderly, women, and children.

It was mass slaughter on a scale equivalent to the Great Tokyo Firebombing of March 10, 1945, and can never be accepted by the Japanese people. On this anniversary of the atomic bombings, we again offer our heartfelt condolences to the victims.

Dream of Abolishing Nuclear Weapons

Make a visit to the Genbaku Dome (atomic bomb dome) and nearby Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. The reality of the tragic damage wrought on that terrible day is certain to shock and bring tears to any visitor. There is also a certain feeling that Peace Memorial Park is a solemn and sacred place. That is especially noticeable when bowing your head in remembrance in front of the cenotaph for the atomic bomb victims. 

The same sense is evident upon visiting Nagasaki. We sincerely hope that such fearsome weapons may never be used again. Achieving a world without nuclear weapons remains a fervent wish of the Japanese people.

The December 2024 announcement that the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, the Japan Confederation of Atomic and Hydrogen Bomb Sufferers Organizations, was certainly welcome news. This group has been vigorously working for the prevention of nuclear war and the elimination of nuclear weapons.

The Nobel Prize Committee lauded the group for passing on the experiences of atomic bombing victims and striving for a world without nuclear weapons. Its award announcement stated in part, "The extraordinary efforts of Nihon Hidankyo and other representatives of the Hibakusha have contributed greatly to the establishment of the nuclear taboo."

Naturally, it is important to communicate the tragic reality of the atomic bombings not only to the Japanese people but to people around the world. Maximum efforts are needed to foster an atmosphere that discourages the use of nuclear weapons.

Hostile Neighbors with Nuclear Arsenols

At the same time, there is a truth that needs to be pointed out. 

That concerns the effectiveness of Japan's foreign and security policies. The government must not take any actions that deny the legitimacy of a strategy of nuclear deterrence. For this reason, Japan should not become a party to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

The Japanese public has come to recognize the importance of deterrence in the field of conventional forces. However, it remains largely unaware of the importance of nuclear deterrence. That makes for an extremely dangerous situation.

Every effort must be taken to absolutely prevent another nuclear weapon from being exploded over the Japanese people. However, it is a harsh reality that efforts to immediately abolish nuclear weapons would not prevent tragedies like those that befell Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Japan is surrounded by the nuclear armed dictatorships of China, Russia, and North Korea. They are uniformly hostile to Japan. Indeed, Japan is under nuclear threat at this very moment.

Russia continues to issue one nuclear threat after another, even as it continues its invasion of Ukraine. North Korea, too, is going all out to strengthen its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities. It has threatened to launch missiles over the Japanese archipelago or even launch a nuclear attack on Japan.

Meanwhile, China, having become an economic superpower, is now bolstering its nuclear arsenal capabilities to the point that even America feels threatened. 

Unfortunately, the voices calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons are not reaching the ears of the dictators ruling these authoritarian countries.

Surrounded by Nuclear Weapons

India and Pakistan both possess nuclear weapons, and recently there was an armed clash between them. In the Middle East, Israel and the US attacked Iranian nuclear facilities because of their concern about a nuclear-armed Iran.

Competition is heating up among the US, Russia, and China, the major nuclear powers. That makes disarmament, as mandated by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, increasingly difficult. The simple fact is that no nuclear-weapons state has signed the TPNW.

Just suppose the US, the UK and France were to unilaterally give up their nuclear weapons. Every nation in the world, including Japan, would then be at the mercy of despotic states. Even if all nuclear-weapons states scrapped their nuclear stockpiles, if even one country or non-state actor secretly maintained nuclear weapons, the general disarmament would have been for naught.,

Today, science and technology offer no foolproof way to prevent a nuclear attack. To protect the Japanese people from nuclear threats and coercion, Japan itself or a trusted ally must have nuclear weapons ready to serve as a deterrent.

Duty to Safeguard Japan

The Japanese government has the obligation to defend its 120 million citizens. With that in mind, it has adopted defense policies that rely on the US "nuclear umbrella." That has been true for decades, regardless of which political party was in power.

Although Japan and the United States view the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki differently, the US is our sole ally. And the American "nuclear umbrella" is necessary to maintain Japan's independence, prosperity, and the freedom of its people.

Because of this, Japan has been able to uphold the three non-nuclear principles of "not possessing, not producing, and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons," ever since Eisaku Sato was prime minister. That was only possible as part of a "set," with the presence of the US nuclear umbrella being the other half of the equation.

China and North Korea are building up their nuclear capabilities, and the US is apparently turning inward. There is growing trepidation that this nuclear umbrella will break apart. 

To address this sense of unease, strengthening the nuclear umbrella and discussing nuclear sharing are urgent priorities. The only viable way to protect Japan and its people from nuclear catastrophe is to recognize the need for nuclear deterrence.

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Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun

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