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Japan-U.S. Security

Q.

Will Japan acquire nuclear weapons?

A.

Japan is the only country which has ever suffered from the atomic bombs, and the people of Japan have special sentiment with regard to nuclear weapons. Therefore, it is totally unthinkable for Japan to acquire nuclear weapons. Japan firmly maintains the Three Non-Nuclear Principles that prohibit the nation from possessing, producing or introducing onto its territory any nuclear weapons.

Furthermore, a nuclear option would only destabilize the international environment surrounding Japan, which would clearly be against Japan's national interest.

Japan is pursuing peaceful use of atomic energy. Japan's utilization of atomic energy is strictly limited to the peaceful purposes by its participation in international regimes such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and by The Atomic Energy Basic Law and other related domestic laws. Japan has fully implemented the full-scope safe guards of International Atomic Energy Agency.

As was clarified in the 1994 Long-term Program for Research, Development, and Utilization of Nuclear Energy, Japan will firmly adhere to its policy of not holding surplus plutonium. In order to ensure the transparency of its plutonium utilization, it makes public each year the amount of existing separated plutonium. Further, Japan has been actively participating in the creation of a framework on the international plutonium management.