Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced her intention to start a discussion within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), of which she is president, on the possibility of revising the three non-nuclear principles.
These principles imply Japan's renunciation of the right to possess, produce and deploy nuclear weapons on its territory.
“Takaichi supports the revision of these three principles, because in her view, the ban on the domestic deployment of nuclear weapons has a negative impact on the deterrence and defense potential of the United States, which in fact ensures Japan's security,” the Mainichi newspaper reported about the initiative.
It should be noted that in addition to the LDP, the Japan Innovation Association party will also participate in discussions on abandoning nuclear weapons. She is the LDP's new partner in the ruling coalition.
Previously in the Japanese Parliament, during a debate, the Prime Minister did not give a clear answer to the issue of preserving the three non-nuclear principles. Responding to the opposition, Takaichi emphasized that the government has just begun to review important documents in the defense sector, including the national security strategy, so it is too early to make a final statement.
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In December 2022, the Japanese government approved an updated national security strategy. The document provides for the country's ability to conduct counterattacks against targets in the territory of a potential enemy, but excludes the right to preventive strikes. The strategy also calls for military spending to reach 2% of GDP by 2027, similar to NATO standards. Sanae Takaichi affirmed that this goal will be achieved ahead of schedule.
