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Japan's leaders are pushing for renewed debate over nuclear weapons as the country marks the 81st anniversaries of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings, challenging its decades-old non-nuclear principles and pacifist stance.
Japan's constitution renounces offensive military force, while successive governments have pledged not to possess, produce or allow nuclear weapons into the country.
That position is under pressure as East Asian neighbors, particularly China, expand their military capabilities and doubts persist over the reliability of Japan's main security ally, the U.S.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has declined to clarify whether she will maintain the three non-nuclear principles, while Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi called last month for a "discussion without a taboo" on nuclear weapons.
In December, an unnamed senior administration official told local media in an off-the-record session that Japan should possess nuclear weapons. The remark was widely reported by outlets including NHK and the Asahi Shimbun and drew public criticism.
"If I look at it cynically, I can't help but think that maybe she really wants to change" Japan's anti-nuclear commitment, said 82-year-old Satoshi Tanaka, a campaigner who survived the 1945 Hiroshima bombing.
Japan marked the 81st anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing Thursday and will commemorate the Nagasaki attack Sunday.
The U.S. atomic bombings in August 1945 killed more than 210,000 people, including many who died from radiation exposure. They remain the only use of atomic weapons in warfare and were among the final major acts of World War II.
The Takaichi administration is carrying out a major update of Japan's national defense strategy this year amid China's expanding military ambitions.
Takaichi has already lifted Japan's self-imposed ban on weapons exports, increased defense spending and pushed to amend the constitution.
China has accused Japan of "new militarism" and Takaichi of yielding to the far right.
The policies have also unsettled atomic bomb survivors, who have helped shape Japan's postwar pacifist political culture.
"There is so much talk about national security. What about building peace through diplomacy?" Tanaka said.
The survivors won the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts, but their national association is debating whether to continue as its members age.
As of March, Japan recognized just over 91,000 survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, down from more than 164,000 a decade ago. Their average age is 86.7.
The three non-nuclear principles date to 1967.
Takaichi's supporters argue that the final principle should be changed to allow the U.S. to bring nuclear weapons into Japan to strengthen regional deterrence.
Hirofumi Yoshimura, head of the Japan Innovation Party, a coalition partner in Takaichi's government, said the issue should be discussed within the U.S.-Japan security alliance.
"Of course, we need to work toward building a world without nuclear arms," Yoshimura said on the Hiroshima anniversary.
"But when considering how to ensure the effectiveness of extended nuclear deterrence within the framework of our alliance with the United States, I believe we should...continue to adhere to the principle of 'neither possessing nor producing' nuclear weapons," he said.
"As for 'not allowing them to be brought in,' I do think there is some room for discussion on that point."
Critics argue that Takaichi's hawkish defense approach increases risks for Japan.
After attending the Hiroshima ceremony Thursday, Takaichi met survivors in a televised session.
Asked by Tanaka whether she might change Japan's nuclear policy, Takaichi said, "Our nation currently adheres to the 'three non-nuclear principles,'" without clarifying her future position.
"That," Tanaka said Friday, "only explains the current situation. It says nothing about the future."
"It only worries me more. I am concerned."
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