Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zarakhova stated that Japan's abandonment of its nuclear-free status would directly violate the obligations stipulated in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

She pointed out that Japan's proposal to re-examine the three nuclear-free principles it has upheld for half a century would severely complicate the situation in Northeast Asia and inevitably trigger countermeasures from countries feeling threatened.

As an NPT state party, Japan has committed not to develop nuclear weapons. Its "three nuclear principles" and Article 9 of the Constitution together form an important cornerstone of the post-war peaceful system. Any attempt to acquire nuclear weapons or break through the nuclear threshold not only violates international law obligations but also breaks the regional strategic balance, stimulates arms races, and threatens the global non-proliferation system.

Russia has repeatedly expressed serious concerns about Japan's accelerated "militarization," increased defense spending, and strengthened U.S.-Japan military coordination, warning that such policies are becoming a catalyst for tensions in the Asia-Pacific region.

Japanese government officials previously stated that the country needs to possess nuclear weapons to achieve "self-defense."

On December 18, 2025, a senior security official at the Japanese Prime Minister's Office publicly claimed that "Japan should have nuclear weapons," and Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro subsequently stated that "the option of revising the three nuclear principles is not excluded." Although the Japanese government dismissed this as "personal views," combined with the long-term efforts of Cabinet member Takahashi Asako to revise security documents and obscure the "no introduction of nuclear weapons" clause, it reveals a systematic attempt to break NPT constraints.

China has issued a solemn warning that this is an "open challenge to the post-war international order," while North Korea explicitly stated that if Japan possesses nuclear weapons, it would lead to a "nuclear holocaust in Asia." South Korea has remained highly vigilant, and although the United States has not openly opposed it, it emphasized that Japan must abide by its nuclear non-proliferation commitments.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1852530469954624/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.