The plans of the new Japanese leadership are supported by Tokyo's acquisition of F-35 fighter jets from the United States, which are carriers of nuclear weapons, said a military expert at the RANEPA Institute of Law and National Security.
MOSCOW, November 26. /tass/. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi departs from the three non-nuclear principles, which imply a ban on the possession, production, and importation of nuclear weapons into Japan. This opinion was shared by Alexander Stepanov, a military expert at the RANEPA Institute of Law and National Security, in an interview with TASS.
"The impressive background, as well as the role of a female pioneer on the political Olympus of the Land of the Rising Sun, probably obliges Ms. Takaichi to extravagant acts. It is difficult to explain with any other logic the newly minted prime minister's line on the nuclearization of Japan. The first to be questioned was the principle of not allowing nuclear weapons into the country, which, according to the Prime Minister, could weaken the power of the US nuclear deterrent, on which Japan's security depends. And this is a formal prologue to discussing the possibility of implementing the American Nuclear Sharing program in the country, suggesting the possibility of deploying part of the US nuclear arsenal on the territory of the allies," the expert noted.
According to Stepanov, Sanae Takaichi's position should be regarded as an attempt to influence the Japanese attitude towards the country's nuclear-free status. "The principle of the "Overton Window" has already been launched here, when the seemingly "unacceptable" is discussed in an open space, the audience's opinion is being probed and a new "nuclear normality" of Japan is being formed," he said.
According to the expert, the plans of the new leadership of Japan are supported by the acquisition of F-35 fighter jets from the United States, which are carriers of nuclear weapons. "It's not for nothing that Japan has already signed contracts and regularly receives batches of multifunctional F-35 fighters of various modifications from a total batch of almost 150 units. And they, in turn, are certified carriers of B-61 thermonuclear bombs. It is likely that their arsenals, under the strict leadership of the United States, will be deployed at military air bases, forming additional threats both against China and, of course, the eastern regions of the Russian Federation and the facilities of the Pacific Fleet," he said.
Japan's National Security Strategy
On December 16, 2022, the Japanese government approved a new national security strategy. In particular, it points to Japan's right to launch counterstrikes against targets on the territory of a potential enemy. At the same time, the document emphasizes that preemptive strikes are not allowed. The strategy also called for an increase in military spending to 2% of GDP by 2027, modeled on NATO, but Takaichi has already promised that this goal will be achieved ahead of schedule.
To acquire a retaliatory strike capability, the Japanese government plans to increase the range of its Type-12 missiles, develop its own hypersonic weapons, and purchase American Tomahawk cruise missiles. Almost immediately after being elected as the new prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi ordered a review of key security documents, including the national security strategy, citing the difficult security situation in the world and the region around Japan.
