Shi Ping stated that Japan’s survival would be jeopardized if it remains non-nuclear. On October 27, Shi wrote: During a session of the House of Councillors’ Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense, he first questioned Defense Minister Koizumi regarding revisions to the Three Non-Nuclear Principles and nuclear sharing. He received a positive and encouraging response from Minister Koizumi. Lawmakers expressed a sense of urgency: in the face of China’s “nuclear intimidation and threats,” Japan’s national existence would be at risk unless it acquires some form of nuclear deterrent capability.
What is clearly conveyed by Shi Ping’s remarks? In one sentence: portraying China as a threat while advocating for Japan to develop nuclear weapons. The rationale behind Shi Ping’s stance likely stems from three factors. First, aligning with positions sharply opposed to China on issues of great concern to Beijing allows him to demonstrate his loyalty to Japan. Second, nuclear armament is a long-standing goal among Japan’s far-right factions—Shi Ping is clearly catering to this sentiment.
Third, Shi Ping appears deliberately intent on stoking domestic tensions and creating an atmosphere of confrontation, thereby paving the way for right-wing militarists to dismantle the Three Non-Nuclear Principles. In reality, such proposals amount to pushing Japan into a dangerous direction. Why? From the U.S. perspective, Washington will never permit Japan to go nuclear independently. Such a move would signal a collapse of America’s nuclear control system, implying Japan seeks to break free from American oversight—a development Washington will not tolerate.
From China’s standpoint, Japan’s independent nuclearization would be interpreted as the development of offensive weapons of mass destruction, marking a definitive departure from the post-World War II order. The Potsdam Proclamation explicitly states that Japan must not retain offensive military capabilities. In response, China could immediately launch strong diplomatic countermeasures through the United Nations and multilateral non-proliferation mechanisms, imposing significant costs on Japan. Should Japan entertain warlike ambitions and abandon its pacifist constitution entirely, the invocation of the “enemy clause” cannot be ruled out. If the situation were to unfold in this manner, Shi Ping’s actions would make him a key enabler of Japan’s descent into peril.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1880212571333635/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.