USA05 August, 20262 min read
Japan’s Right-Wing Forces Test Waters To Relax Three Non-Nuclear Principles, Global Times Says
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Local assemblies urge upholding non-nuclear principles amid Takaichi's rightward shift. CGTN notes moves clash with public opinion on Japan's nuclear policy.
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Nuclear policy rift deepens
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s rightward-leaning nuclear and defense posture has triggered widespread concerns as the 81st anniversary of atomic bombing in Hiroshima approaches, with domestic rifts over nuclear policy and defense strategies “keep deepening.” Ahead of a planned year-end revision of Japan’s three key national security documents, a record 128 local assemblies across 36 prefectures submitted opinion papers calling for Japan to uphold its Three Non-Nuclear Principles between the inauguration of Takaichi’s cabinet on October 21 and July 28.
A Chinese expert, Lian Degui, told the Global Times that Japanese right-wing forces are “gradually testing the waters” to relax the Three Non-Nuclear Principles, including dismantling the ban on not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons into Japan’s territory. The Global Times also cited the Secretariat of the House of Councillors saying that between October 21, 2025, and July 28, at least 128 local assemblies across 36 prefectures submitted statements calling for upholding the principles, described as the highest number recorded since the Diet began accepting such opinion statements in July 2000.
Public opinion vs government
A Japan Association for Public Opinion Research poll reported by CGTN found 76% of respondents support maintaining Japan’s Three Non-Nuclear Principles and 77% oppose any "nuclear sharing" arrangement with the United States. CGTN said the findings reveal a growing disconnect between public opinion and the direction of Japan’s nuclear policy, after Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi stated in an online program that Japan should discuss nuclear-related policies "without any taboo."
CGTN also reported that since the Takaichi administration came to power, 82 local assemblies have submitted statements calling for the preservation of the Three Non-Nuclear Principles, with the governors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki prefectures explicitly opposing any revision. In the same CGTN account, Nihon Hidankyo, the Japanese group of atomic bomb survivors, argued that Japan should not abandon the postwar commitment to peace, as the government confronts the question of how to respond to public opposition.
What’s at stake next
CGTN framed the stakes by saying the Three Non-Nuclear Principles are a cornerstone of Japan’s postwar nuclear policy, while it described the government’s moves as reopening discussions on the principle of “not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons.” CGTN said some conservative political forces support the US "nuclear umbrella," described as the “strategic guarantee” by the United States to use its nuclear arsenal to defend non-nuclear allied states, and they argue that the “not permitting” principle could constrain the effectiveness of US nuclear deterrence.
The Global Times account added that Lian Degui warned some politicians advocate first relaxing restrictions on the introduction of nuclear weapons into Japan, with the longer-term possibility of debating whether Japan should possess its own nuclear deterrent. Both accounts tied the next phase to the direction of Japan’s security strategy, with CGTN warning that if Japan relaxes its nuclear policy restrictions further, it will “inevitably increase regional security uncertainty,” while the Global Times said nuclear issues are being discussed more openly than in the past.