Sanae Takaichi Leaves Japan’s Three Non-Nuclear Principles Ambiguous on Hiroshima 81st Anniversary

People gathered at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park on Thursday to mourn the victims of the atomic bombing of the Japanese city, 81 years on. On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. About 140,000 people are estimated to have died by the end of 1945. Three days later, another atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killing an estimated 74,000 people by the end of the year. During the First Sino-Japanese War, Hiroshima served as the headquarters for Japan's military operations. During World War II, it was also a major military city with numerous military factories and served as a key base for Japanese forces deploying overseas. The United States said the atomic bombings were intended to hasten Japan's surrender. For many years, Japan has portrayed itself as a victim of World War II, while rarely mentioning the historical background of the bombings or the immense suffering inflicted by Japanese militarism on China and other Asian countries during the war. Now, Japanese media reports suggest the Takaichi administration is seeking to revise the country's Three Non-Nuclear Principles – not possessing, not producing and not allowing the introduction of nuclear weapons into Japanese territory. The reported move has sparked widespread concern in Japan and across the international community. (Photos via VCG)

The government remains firm in its policy of respecting the Three Non-Nuclear Principles. On that basis, the mission of our country, the only nation to have suffered atomic bombings, is to lead international efforts toward a nuclear-weapon-free society, ensuring that a tragedy of such magnitude never happens again," said Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing. Minutes earlier, Takaichi had met with atomic bomb survivors (hibakusha) to hear their testimonies firsthand, and at a press conference reaffirmed her "clear determination to never repeat the tragedy that occurred" on August 6, 1945 in Hiroshima and three days later in Nagasaki. A nuclear debate "without taboos" and a "realistic approach" However, when asked about the Nuclear Weapons Prohibition Treaty review conference to be held in November at the UN, she advocated a "realistic approach" and stated that it is "necessary to assess the situation considering international trends and the increasingly complex security landscape" in the region. Her first appearance at the ceremony as head of government takes place as the government prepares to review its key national security documents, raising questions about whether the nuclear principles will remain intact, especially after Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi raised a debate on nuclear issues "without taboos." The prime minister met with hibakusha, family members of victims, and local and foreign representatives at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, where they observed a moment of silence at 8:15 local time (23:15 GMT on Wednesday), the moment the bomb exploded over the city, leaving an estimated death toll of 140,000. A government in favor of nuclear deterrence This year’s ceremony takes place against a backdrop of growing speculation about whether Takaichi’s government—an advocate of nuclear deterrence—could loosen the Three Non-Nuclear Principles adopted by Japan after the war, coinciding with the drafting of new security and defense documents planned for the end of the year. Takaichi has called for revising those principles, proposing the possibility of eliminating the third one: the prohibition on bringing nuclear weapons onto Japanese territory. Japan remains under the United States’ nuclear umbrella and has repeatedly sought guarantees from Washington about its commitment and stronger protection. As a result, the Japanese government has rejected the survivors’ request to sign the Nuclear Weapons Prohibition Treaty or to attend its meetings as observers. Warning against "another Hiroshima or Nagasaki" "To downplay the inhumanity of nuclear weapons and to accept the use of force in pursuit of one’s own prosperity risks creating cycles of violent retaliation that could ultimately lead to another Hiroshima or Nagasaki," said Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui on Thursday (Aug 6, 2026). Too many political leaders continue to treat nuclear deterrence as a realistic approach and legitimize violence, which "simply pushes further away the possibility of a world without nuclear weapons," Matsui said in his peace statement during the ceremony. He also called on every citizen to learn from the past and take action. "The horror of nuclear weapons is only one lesson from Hiroshima. Another is the need to build a world in which the threat or use of these weapons is unthinkable," said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a statement. No U.S. ambassador present In this peace ceremony, expected to attract about 50,000 attendees, including representatives from around 120 countries and regions, including the United States and Iran, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, George Glass, was absent for the first time. lrass reported that he would also not participate in the Nagasaki ceremony. Washington will be represented this year at both events by the deputy chief of mission, Aaron Snipe. Without giving a reason for his absence, Glass stated in a release that Hiroshima and Nagasaki "are not only inspiring symbols of peace and hope for the world, but also a reminder that the U.S.-Japan alliance can never rest in its mission to preserve peace and protect freedom across the region."

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has left open the possibility of reviewing the country's three non-nuclear principles, coinciding with the 81st anniversary of the United States' atomic bombing of Hiroshima, according to Kyodo News. During a news conference held after the commemorative ceremony this Thursday in the Japanese city, Takaichi stressed that Japan's position to firmly defend the three non-nuclear principles remains "unchangeable." These principles prohibit the country from possessing or manufacturing nuclear weapons, as well as allowing their introduction onto national territory. However, the leader avoided confirming that these will be kept unchanged in the new defense strategy documents that the government is preparing for the end of the year. "It's premature to comment on the final version of the text, as we are in the midst of revising the documents before year-end," Takaichi said. The third principle, at the center of debate The three non-nuclear principles were formulated in 1967 by then-Prime Minister Eisaku Sato. The debate focuses on the possibility of modifying the third premise, related to the entry of nuclear weapons into the country, whose elimination has been advocated by some voices from the more conservative sectors of Japanese politics, including Takaichi herself, according to the cited source. Although the Japanese prime minister has not ruled out doubts about the future of the principles, she affirmed that her government will continue to push for "realistic and practical" measures to move toward a world without nuclear weapons. The Asian country lacks these weapons but is protected by the U.S. nuclear umbrella. Survivors urge adherence to the treaty The day before speaking to reporters, Takaichi met with representatives of associations of hibakusha, survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings. During the meeting, they conveyed their concern about a possible revision of a policy that has long defined Japan's stance on nuclear armament. According to Kyodo News, the associations rejected any change that would weaken these principles and again called on Japan to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPAN), in force since 2021. The agreement prohibits, among other activities, the development, production, possession, and use of these weapons, with the aim of moving toward their total elimination. More than 70 countries have ratified the treaty or joined it, but none of the nuclear powers or Japan are among them. The total ban established is difficult to reconcile with Japan's reliance on the U.S. nuclear deterrent to face potential threats. Instead, the Japanese government has chosen to support the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and has urged strengthening of this framework, which includes the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom, the five recognized nuclear powers under the agreement.

Bekki FieldDeputy Executive Director This is a timely moment to reflect on how the arms control community can carry forward the devastating lessons of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings. Last year’s 80th anniversary saw major global efforts to mark the occasion, including my former organisation, The Elders, holding its bi-annual Board meeting in Hiroshima to shine a spotlight on the horrors of 1945. But we are reaching the point where the human story, in its most palpable sense, is fading from view. According to thelatest government data, 91,105hibakusharemain alive – a number that has fallen by nearly 10 percent in the last year alone. As with the Second World War, personal testimony from those who lived through the bombings will continue to decline and, within the next 20 years, is likely to disappear entirely. At the ELN, our work is grounded in policy impact: contributing to better European security by speaking to governments in the language they understand – and, by extension, the language that resonates with people and societies. For me, that is first and foremost the language of human stories, and how they connect to the bigger geopolitical picture, even on technical and complex briefs like arms control. This is the prism through which I see my own role, and where I think organisations like the ELN are well placed to do even more. The arms control community has understandably focused on technical and policy questions, sometimes at the expense of the human stories that underpin them. As direct testimony disappears, our task shifts from amplifying survivors’ voices to becoming custodians of their memory – channelling it into our convenings and policy recommendations, rather than simply invoking it on anniversaries. The ELN’s ongoing work to identify workable paths towards nuclear disarmament – however distant those paths may seem right now – is pursued in solidarity with the victims and survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That solidarity, translated into institutional practice, is how the human consequences of conflict stay central to the debate, long after living memory is gone. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Julia BerghoferProgramme Lead, Nuclear Weapons and New Technologies In 2025 and 2026 I had two profound and diametrically opposed experiences that had a lasting effect on my thinking about nuclear matters. First, I visited theLos Alamos History Museum– an astonishingly underwhelming place in the middle of nowhere that gives almost no hint that one of the most far-reaching developments in history took place there. The museum presents a blatantly uncritical account of the history of the atomic bomb, turning a blind eye to almost every aspect that makes nuclear weapons something other than a convenient tool of (some) world leaders. I came away humbled by the fact that this is a very real, non-satirical reading of history, and that people working in the arms control sphere are completely disconnected from those who support this worldview. One year later, I had the exceptional opportunity to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which had an even more significant effect on my thinking. While one can certainly criticise the way in which Japan’s role in the Second World War is largely absent from the exhibition, this museum demonstrates in a harrowing way what a nuclear weapon is from the viewpoint of a normal citizen: nothing more than an instrument of terror which, when used, changes societies, lives, cities, and landscapes. Even though the city of Hiroshima looks modern and clean, it seems to lack the vibrance and lightness of other Japanese cities. It is deeply scarred. Even though I have been working on nuclear issues for years, this stark contrast between these two narratives of the same story is still able to shock me. I think that profound shock and disbelief is something that the Hiroshima anniversary must continue to remind us of, because less than two decades from now, the 100th anniversary will mark a fatal demarcation line beyond which this tragedy may begin to feel too distant to remain relevant. As researchers and think tankers working to reduce nuclear risks, we have a responsibility to carry this subject not just as a “job”, but as an important educational obligation. In particular, we need to commit ourselves to reminding those with power and influence that nuclear war is not an inevitability, but a choice. The logic of deterrence, and the grave risks associated with it, can create the impression that we are trapped in inescapable dilemmas. But as long as humans remain in control of nuclear decision-making, it is within our power to eliminate those risks. To do so, however, we must keep our eyes wide open to the dangers that are looming, and whose statistical likelihood increases with every passing year. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Jana BaldusPolicy Fellow, Nuclear and Multilateral Disarmament Each anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki brings the human and environmental impacts of nuclear weapons back into the spotlight. But commemorating them once a year, only to set them aside again, is not enough. Especially not when the danger of their use – whether in war or through renewed “test” explosions – is higher than it has been in decades. And certainly not when the suffering caused by nuclear weapons continues. For over eight decades, survivors of the atomic bombings – referred to in Japanese ashibakusha, literally “bomb-affected-people” – have fought for acknowledgement of the harms they suffered and for nuclear abolition. That struggle needs to be remembered, too. The consequences – not only of the atomic bombings, but of nuclear weapons more broadly – are not abstract. They are the ongoing, tangible costs of decisions taken in the name of security. And these costs have fallen not only on thehibakusha, but also on communities affected by countless nuclear tests, on Indigenous communities whose ancestral lands have been used for nuclear waste disposal, and on people who mine uranium for nuclear weapons. Hiroshima survivor Setsuko Thurlow put it directly to those states that rely on nuclear weapons for their security: they are “each an integral part of a system of violence that is endangering humankind”. As European states move to recentre nuclear deterrence in their security structures, this is not simply rhetorical – it is a reminder that engaging with nuclear weapons carries a specific, human responsibility. Any new use of nuclear weapons would create newhibakusha. For my work at the ELN, I take this as a reminder to keep confronting supposedly “rational” security narratives with human perspectives, and to remind decision-makers that their “actionsareconsequential”. This anniversary should challenge us to keep survivors’ and affected communities’ voices at the centre of our work – not only today, but every day – so that, in the words of Nagasaki survivor Terumi Tanaka, “humanity [does not] destroy itself with nuclear weapons”. Kseniia YehorovaPolicy Fellow, Nuclear Deterrence and Risk Reduction The tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki unfolded over two August mornings in 1945, and eighty-one years on we are still deciding what it will mean for us today. The past lives in the present through how it is remembered, interpreted, invoked and, at times, simplified. The precedent set by the use of nuclear weapons cannot be unmade, and we carry a responsibility for how it informs the judgements we make about security. State narratives have the privilege of determining which interpretations become embedded in public memory, often reducing historical ambiguity so that a chosen national narrative serves contemporary political objectives. Yet acknowledging one historical truth does not necessarily require denying another. Japan can simultaneously be seen as the aggressor that waged a devastating war across Asia and as the only country to have experienced atomic bombings; recognising one does not diminish compassion for the other. Likewise, the fact that many American decision-makers believed they were acting to end the war does not resolve the question of what that judgement ultimately cost. Our task, as researchers, is to be able to hold that complexity. Working recently on questions of Russian nuclear decision-making, I have become increasingly convinced that the past continues to shape the future not as a collection of historical facts, but as part of the political context in which new decisions are made. Once a narrative settles into place as a state’s interpretation of history, it sets the frame for which actions come to appear justified, necessary, or even inevitable. In the Russian case, this means that the language of history becomes, at the same time, the language of security. Inevitability is assembled out of a past from which the cost has already been subtracted, and the human part goes first, because suffering resists being written into a justification. What official histories remove, research communities and organisations like the ELN have to keep in view. That is how the responsibility we carry for the precedent of 1945 is exercised. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Maria BraneaPolicy and Research Coordinator, Russia and European Security The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ushered in a new world. For decades, Cold War Europe was shaped by mutual paranoia, deterrence, proliferation, and fears of nuclear escalation. Its end lowered the temperature and paved the way for a period of unprecedented cooperation, multilateralism, arms control, and hope for nuclear non-proliferation and even disarmament. Eighty-one years on, however, it can feel as though we are slipping back into the atmosphere and rhetoric of the early Cold War. European security and West-Russia relations are once again framed through deterrence, hard power, and nuclear brinkmanship. More than four years into Russia’s war against Ukraine, Russian nuclear signalling has intensified, while the French and British nuclear deterrents are returning to the centre of the debate, alongside discussions of a broader European nuclear umbrella. Europe is recalibrating its future security arrangements in response to a perceived return to a world of transactionalism, competition, and realpolitik. Working on Russia and European security means once again confronting familiar escalation risks and deterrence dynamics, now compounded by an uncertain US commitment to NATO, rapid advances in autonomous systems and other emerging technologies, and the integration of AI into military and nuclear decision-making. The anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki serves as a reminder of the human cost of conflict, often obscured by strategic language and academic debate. It brings into sharper focus our failure to fully internalise the devastating, multi-generational humanitarian consequences of nuclear use, and to prevent nuclear weapons from re-emerging at the forefront of European security and West-Russia relations. It also throws light on tensions within our own work. How can we engage meaningfully with Russian threats and European security concerns while working to prevent nuclear use from becoming normalised or treated as just another strategic option? By fostering constructive engagement across a diverse network, especially when trust is at an all-time low, and by exploring options for better security, risk reduction, and conflict resolution, the ELN’s role remains vital. European security cannot be built solely on deterrence; it must also rest on dialogue, restraint, and the prevention of human suffering. _____________________________________________________________________________________ The European Leadership Network itself as an institution holds no formal policy positions. The opinions articulated above represent the views of the authors rather than the European Leadership Network or its members. The ELN aims to encourage debates that will help develop Europe’s capacity to address the pressing foreign, defence, and security policy challenges of our time, to further its charitable purposes. 80 years after Hiroshima, ELN Policy and Research Director Oliver Meier warns that while leaders solemnly mark the bombing’s anniversary, their growing complacency toward nuclear weapons and proliferation raises the risk of use. He urges renewed commitment to disarmament as the only way to prevent future nuclear catastrophe. Over 250 influential figures from 50 countries, including China, Russia, and the US, warn that nuclear arms control cannot fall victim to geopolitical competition 75 years ago today the US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The era of “atomic peace” that followed has been fraught with increasingly catastrophic risks.

Japan commemorated this Thursday the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima as internal debate grows over whether the country should revise the anti-nuclear principles adopted after World War II. The ceremony took place at the Peace Memorial Park before about 50,000 people, with representatives from around 120 countries and regions, including the United States and Iran. At 8:15 in the morning—the exact time the B-29 bomber dropped the bomb on August 6, 1945—attendees observed a minute of silence. There, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that Japan’s mission, “the only nation to have suffered atomic bombings,” is to lead international efforts toward a nuclear‑weapon–free world. At the end of the event, however, she refused to clarify in a press conference whether the country’s three historical commitments—no possession, no production, and no introduction of nuclear weapons—will be part of the new defense strategy the government is preparing for the end of this year. The prime minister has maintained that stance since taking office in October of last year. ADVERTISEMENT Two weeks ago, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi declared in Brussels, in response to questions on the topic: “If it is not treated without taboos, no country can guarantee its own security by itself anymore.” That statement, made before European allies away from any commemorative event, reflects a position that has political backing within the government. Conservative sectors of the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, are pushing to allow Washington to deploy nuclear weapons on Japanese territory to reinforce the United States’ extended deterrence in the region. Nevertheless, according to Nobumasa Akiyama, a professor of International Politics at Tokyo’s Hitotsubashi University, within the cabinet there is no consensus on how to amend those commitments. A majority of Japanese society opposes, in addition, a NATO-style shared weapons scheme. “Accepting a taboo-free debate is something completely different from supporting a policy change,” the expert noted. ADVERTISEMENT Hirohito Ogi, a former Ministry of Defense official and an analyst at the Institute of Geoeconomics (IOG) in Tokyo, dismisses the idea that introducing American nuclear capabilities on the archipelago is viable in the short term. The country lacks reliable tactical ground options to deploy on Japanese soil. From the IOG, he adds, Washington does not classify as “introduction” the transit of submarines armed with nuclear weapons through Japanese waters. Instead, he proposes strengthening conventional capabilities—domestically developed missiles and drones—and tying them to allied nuclear arsenal to deter China and North Korea. The debate reopened by Ukraine and China Akiyama notes the Russian invasion of Ukraine as one of the catalysts for this discussion. Washington’s refusal to intervene directly raised a question in Tokyo: how reliable is the American umbrella against an adversary with nuclear capabilities? Other analysts, however, argue that the conflict confirmed that such armament poses an existential danger that must be eliminated. ADVERTISEMENT The invasion “increased public interest both in deterrence and in disarmament, allowing open debate of options that were once considered taboo,” summarized Akiyama. The main threat to Japan, Ogi notes, does not come from Moscow but from Beijing. In August 2022, China launched several ballistic missiles toward waters near Taiwan in response to the visit by then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island. “The Chinese nuclear threat became more evident,” added the former official (With information from EFE and EuroNews)

- Hiroshima marked the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the city on Thursday. - Mayor Kazumi Matsui criticized nuclear deterrence and urged learning from past lessons. - Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attended against the backdrop of potential policy shifts on nuclear principles. HIROSHIMA, Japan — Hiroshima on Thursday marked the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the western Japanese city, with its mayor criticizing major powers for waging wars and urging them to stop justifying the possession of nuclear weapons as a method of deterrence. "Downplaying the inhumanity of nuclear weapons and accepting the use of force to pursue one's own prosperity risk cycles of violent retaliation that could ultimately result in another Hiroshima or Nagasaki," Mayor Kazumi Matsui said. Too many political leaders still consider nuclear deterrence a realistic approach and legitimize violence, which "simply pushes a world without nuclear weapons further into the distance," Matsui said in his peace declaration at the ceremony at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. He also called on each citizen to learn lessons from the past and take action. About 50,000 people, including representatives from some 120 countries and regions including the United States and Iran, were to attend the ceremony. A minute of silence was held while a peace bell rang out at 8:15 a.m., the time when a B-29 dropped the bomb on the city. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who attended the memorial for the first time as prime minister, said she will take "a realistic approach" toward achieving a world where nuclear weapons are never used, within the framework of the United Nations' treaty to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. This year's ceremony comes at a time of looming speculation that Takaichi's hawkish government, which supports the idea of nuclear deterrence, may ease Japan's postwar three non-nuclear principles when it compiles new security and defense documents later this year. Takaichi has advocated a review of the principles for a possibility of dropping the third one — of not permitting nuclear weapons to be brought into the country. Takaichi said Japan has maintained its postwar three non-nuclear principles, but fell short of expressing commitment for sticking with that policy into the future. Survivors have expressed frustration and worry over growing support for the possession of nuclear weapons for deterrence by the international community, including Japan. Japan is under the protection of U.S. nuclear umbrella and has repeatedly sought Washington's reassurance for its commitment and a stronger protection. Because of that, Japan's government has rejected the survivors' request to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons or attend its meetings as observers. The bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, destroyed the city and killed 140,000 people. A second bomb dropped three days later on Nagasaki killed 70,000. Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, ending World War II and Japan's nearly half-century of aggression in Asia. The number of survivors has fallen to 91,105, about a quarter of the original number, with their average age exceeding 86. Survivors worry about fading memories, as the youngest of the survivors were too young to clearly recall the attack. "The horror of nuclear weapons is just one lesson of Hiroshima. Another is the need to build a world in which the threat or use of these weapons becomes unthinkable," United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said in a written statement. "Hiroshima stands as an inspiring example of resilience, renewal and hope. Across generations, its people remind us that, even after the darkest moments, we can choose — and build — a different future," he said, calling for "dialogue over division, cooperation over confrontation and common security over narrow advantage." Contributing: Edith M. Lederer

TOKYO — Hiroshima on Thursday marked the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the western Japanese city, with its mayor criticizing major powers for waging wars and urging them to stop justifying the possession of nuclear weapons as a method of deterrence. “Downplaying the inhumanity of nuclear weapons and accepting the use of force to pursue one’s own prosperity risk cycles of violent retaliation that could ultimately result in another Hiroshima or Nagasaki,” Mayor Kazumi Matsui said. Too many political leaders still consider nuclear deterrence a realistic approach and legitimize violence, which “simply pushes a world without nuclear weapons further into the distance,” Matsui said in his peace declaration at the ceremony at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. He also called on each citizen to learn lessons from the past and take action. About 50,000 people, including representatives from some 120 countries and regions including the United States and Iran, were to attend the ceremony. A minute of silence was held while a peace bell rang out at 8:15 a.m., the time when a U.S. B-29 dropped the bomb on the city. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who attended the memorial for the first time as prime minister, said she will take “a realistic approach” toward achieving a world where nuclear weapons are never used, within the framework of the United Nations' treaty to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. This year’s ceremony comes at a time of looming speculation that Takaichi’s hawkish government, which supports the idea of nuclear deterrence, may ease Japan’s postwar three non-nuclear principles when it compiles new security and defense documents later this year. Takaichi has advocated a review of the principles for a possibility of dropping the third one — of not permitting nuclear weapons to be brought into the country. Takaichi said Japan has maintained its postwar three non-nuclear principles, but fell short of expressing commitment for sticking with that policy into the future. Survivors have expressed frustration and worry over growing support for the possession of nuclear weapons for deterrence by the international community, including Japan. Japan is under the protection of U.S. nuclear umbrella and has repeatedly sought Washington's reassurance for its commitment and a stronger protection. Because of that, Japan’s government has rejected the survivors’ request to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons or attend its meetings as observers. The bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, destroyed the city and killed 140,000 people. A second bomb dropped three days later on Nagasaki killed 70,000. Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, ending World War II and Japan’s nearly half-century of aggression in Asia. The number of survivors has fallen to 91,105, about a quarter of the original number, with their average age exceeding 86. Survivors worry about fading memories, as the youngest of the survivors were too young to clearly recall the attack.

Democracy Dies in Darkness By Chie Tanaka TOKYO — The only country to have experienced atomic bombings in war has long upheld its “Three Non-Nuclear Principles” as a core policy, under which Japan does not possess, produce or permit the entry of nuclear weapons. The 7 logo The 7 LIVE PreviousNext Perry Stein 30 minutes ago Stella Canino-Quiñones 42 minutes ago Clara Ence Morse August 7, 2026 Sarah Kaplan August 7, 2026 Lena H. Sun August 7, 2026 Peter Jamison August 7, 2026 Mariana Alfaro August 7, 2026 Ben Noll August 7, 2026 Jamie Ross and Hannah Jewell August 7, 2026 Patrick Marley August 6, 2026 8Comments !pixel

Democracy Dies in Darkness By Chie Tanaka TOKYO — The only country to have experienced atomic bombings in war has long upheld its “Three Non-Nuclear Principles” as a core policy, under which Japan does not possess, produce or permit the entry of nuclear weapons. But in remarks lent weight by their time and place, in Hiroshima on the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the city during the Second World War, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stepped carefully to avoid a clear reaffirmation of that commitment. “Japan is upholding the Three Non-Nuclear Principles,” she said in remarks at a memorial ceremony Thursday. Unlike recent prime ministers who pledged to maintain the principles going forward, Takaichi limited her remarks to a description of the present policy, leaving future commitments ambiguous. The Three Non-Nuclear Principles, endorsed more than 50 years ago by parliamentary resolution, retain widespread popular support. Takaichi, an ultraconservative security hawk, has previously advocated reconsideration of the third principle, which bars nuclear weapons from the country, arguing that Japan cannot fully rely on U.S. nuclear deterrence if such restrictions remain in place. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters last month that “all policy options should be discussed without taboo.” The Japanese government plans to revise its national security strategy by the end of the year, and Takaichi’s remarks have fueled speculation that her government is laying the groundwork for a possible step toward changing the Three Non-Nuclear Principles. Such a move would be controversial in Japan, where atomic bomb survivors have spent decades preserving the memory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and leading global efforts toward nuclear disarmament. Takaichi argues that the country is in an increasingly menacing security environment, with threats in the region from nuclear-armed Russia, China and North Korea. An article published Thursday in China Daily, a state-run English-language newspaper, reported that Chinese authorities had “slammed Japanese right-wing forces for politically exploiting the nation’s identity as a nuclear bombing victim for sympathy and seeking possession of nuclear weapons.” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian connected Takaichi’s remarks to broader efforts to step up Japan’s security posture, in a statement paraphrased by China Daily. _Catch up quickly every weekday morning with a rundown of the 7 most important and interesting stories.__Sign up for The 7 newsletter_ _._ The 7 logo The 7 LIVE PreviousNext Perry Stein 26 minutes ago Stella Canino-Quiñones 39 minutes ago Clara Ence Morse August 7, 2026 Sarah Kaplan August 7, 2026 Lena H. Sun August 7, 2026 Peter Jamison August 7, 2026 Mariana Alfaro August 7, 2026 Ben Noll August 7, 2026 Jamie Ross and Hannah Jewell August 7, 2026 Patrick Marley August 6, 2026 8Comments NewsletterWeekdays The 7 Catch up quickly with a rundown of the 7 most important and interesting stories. !pixel

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THE ASAHI SHIMBUN August 6, 2026 at 18:29 JST HIROSHIMA—As Hiroshima marked the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing on Aug. 6, prayers for the dead were shadowed by anxieties of a world once again facing the risk of nuclear conflict. Throughout the day, people gathered to offer silent prayers for the victims, many expressing a simple hope for a future free from war and atomic weapons. From before dawn, mourners arrived at the city’s central Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Among them was Hitomi Takeuchi, 64, whose grandparents and mother, who was 18 at the time, survived the 1945 bombing. She recalled how her late mother would weep every Aug. 6 while watching the televised broadcast of the annual ceremony. “The world today is unstable, with fears of nuclear war,” Takeuchi said. “I put my hands together and prayed for my mother and the other victims to rest in peace.” Sachiko Umehara, a 41-year-old office worker, took a day off for the first time in three years to visit the park’s Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound. “I can’t shake the fear that we are heading toward being able to wage war, with talk of reviewing the Three Non-Nuclear Principles,” she said. “A growing distrust in politics and the media, and a sense of crisis, compelled me to come here this year.” PRAYERS AMID NEW FEARS The annual Peace Memorial Ceremony was held in the park, drawing a record number of representatives from 121 countries and regions. In a poignant reminder that the tragedy of war is not consigned to history, among the attendees were the parents of a 7-year-old boy killed by a U.S. missile strike on an elementary school in Minab, southern Iran. More than 160 children reportedly died in the attack earlier this year. At 8:15 a.m., the precise moment the bomb was dropped, all attendees observed a moment of silent prayer. In his peace declaration, Mayor Kazumi Matsui condemned the current global climate, saying, “We are seeing repeated military invasions that use nuclear weapons as tools of intimidation, and the arrogant behavior of major powers that disregard international law.” Pointing to the failure of the recent Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference, he sounded an urgent alarm that the world “could lead to the creation of a third Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” The mayor called on world leaders to visit the city and commit to policies for nuclear abolition. Hiroshima Governor Mika Yokota took aim at the concept of “nuclear deterrence,” calling it a “fundamental contradiction that fuels distrust and arms races among nations, and destabilizes the world.” Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, whose government is currently re-evaluating the nation's security posture, also addressed the ceremony. She mourned the victims and extended sympathies to those still suffering from the bomb’s after-effects. “Today, as the city that was reduced to ruins has achieved recovery, the memory of Hiroshima continues to ask those of us living now how fragilely human life and dignity can be lost, and it reminds us of the preciousness of peace,” she said. “The catastrophe brought by the atomic bombs to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the indescribable suffering of so many people, must never be repeated.” Like her predecessors, the prime minister did not mention the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), but she affirmed Japan’s commitment to peace. “Our country firmly upholds the Three Non-Nuclear Principles, and as the only country to have suffered atomic bombings in war, we have a mission to tirelessly continue our efforts toward achieving a world without nuclear weapons,” Takaichi said. POLICY UNDER SCRUTINY Following the ceremony, Takaichi visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and the Kandayama Yasuragien nursing home for A-bomb survivors. There, she presented residents with a bouquet and a monetary gift of condolence. She later met with representatives from seven survivor groups, telling them, “I once again express my deep respect for the extraordinary efforts of all of you who have risen from the ruins.” At a subsequent news conference, Takaichi was asked if the Three Non-Nuclear Principles would be revised in the upcoming security policy review. “I will refrain from speculating on the wording at this time,” she responded, before adding, “Our stance of firmly upholding the Three Non-Nuclear Principles as a matter of policy remains unchanged.” A peek through the music industry’s curtain at the producers who harnessed social media to help their idols go global. A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors. Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life. A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II

EnglishWorld Takaichi Softens Japan's Non-Nuclear 3 Principles Pledge Shift in Wording Fuels Speculation About Revising Japan's Longstanding Non-Nuclear Policy By Ryu Jung Published 2026.08.07. 00:46Updated 2026.08.07. 09:55 !다카이치 사나에 일본 총리./연합뉴스 Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. /Yonhap “Our country has adhered to the ‘non-nuclear 3 Korean won principle’…” Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s eulogy delivered on August 6 at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony has sparked unusual controversy. Unlike past prime ministers, who reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to maintaining the non-nuclear 3 Korean won principle at the site of the atomic bombing, Takaichi’s remarks merely described the current status without expressing a clear intention to uphold the principle in the future. Japan has upheld the non-nuclear 3 Korean won principle—“not possessing, not producing, and not allowing the introduction of nuclear weapons”—as a national policy since it was proposed by then-Prime Minister Eisaku Sato in 1967. With the Takaichi administration pushing to revise the “Three Security Documents,” a comprehensive security strategy, by the end of the year, speculation has grown that the non-nuclear 3 Korean won principle enshrined within them could be altered. At the ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, Takaichi stated, “The unspeakable suffering and pain caused by the atomic bomb must never be repeated. Our country has adhered to the non-nuclear 3 Korean won principle, and as the only nation to have suffered wartime nuclear attacks, we bear the mission to work toward realizing a world without nuclear weapons.” This differs subtly from past prime ministers’ statements. According to the Mainichi Shimbun, every prime minister since 1994 has reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to continuing the non-nuclear 3 Korean won principle at Hiroshima. Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe consistently stated during his second term (2012–2020), “We will lead international efforts while adhering to the non-nuclear 3 Korean won principle.” Subsequent prime ministers, including Fumio Kishida and Shigeru Ishiba, followed the same approach. Even before taking office, Takaichi had expressed the need to reconsider the principle’s third pillar, “not allowing the introduction” of nuclear weapons. Recently, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi remarked, “Japan should discuss and pursue all policies, including nuclear issues, without taboos.” The idea is to enhance deterrence by enabling the potential import of U.S. nuclear missiles to Japan amid rapidly changing security conditions. At a press conference following the ceremony, Takaichi avoided confirming plans to revise the non-nuclear 3 Korean won principle, stating, “I will refrain from prejudging the wording,” and added, “There is no change in our stance of adhering to the non-nuclear 3 Korean won principle as a policy.” Her description of the principle as a “policy stance” rather than a “national policy”—a term repeatedly affirmed by the Diet—is noteworthy. A source from the Prime Minister’s Office told the Mainichi Shimbun, “The ‘not allowing the introduction’ pillar of the non-nuclear 3 Korean won principle lacks a legal basis. Calling it a policy stance implies it could be reviewed or changed.” · This article has been translated by Upstage Solar AI. 원문보기 (View Original Korean Article) Sanae TakaichiHiroshimaThree Non-Nuclear Principles Editor’s Pick President Lee Orders Tax Reform Review Amid Backlash 4h ago |Joo Hee-yeon Democratic Party Rep's Bus Housing Idea Angers Youth 11h ago |Shin Jee-in Thai Middle School Student Kills 7 in Shooting Spree 5h ago |Choi Jung-suk(ChosunBiz) Most Read News 1 Son Heung-min's Early Exit Sparks Penalty Questions 2 Japanese Influencer Dies During Live Stream 3 Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba resigns 4 Puma Launches Man City Pop-Up with Korean-Marked Uniforms in Seoul 5 U.S. Lawmakers Condemn South Korea's Network Act as Free Speech Threat 6 Underdog Bozinha Claims Fan-Voted Dream Team Spot 7 Woo Do-hwan's 13kg Bulk-Up for 'Hunters 2' Role 8 Park Hye-soo Releases Photos Amid Comeback Speculation 9 IU Ends Relationship as Ex-Boyfriend Starts New Romance 10 Jo Woo-ri Shines as Tsundere Cafe Owner in 'Sold Out on You' 6 Underdog Bozinha Claims Fan-Voted Dream Team Spot 7 Woo Do-hwan's 13kg Bulk-Up for 'Hunters 2' Role 8 Park Hye-soo Releases Photos Amid Comeback Speculation 9 IU Ends Relationship as Ex-Boyfriend Starts New Romance 10 Jo Woo-ri Shines as Tsundere Cafe Owner in 'Sold Out on You' 로그인을 하시면 모든 기사를 읽을 수 있습니다 로그인 휴대폰 로그인이메일 로그인 이메일 혹은 아이디 비밀번호 로그인 로그인 상태 유지 아이디 찾기|비밀번호 재설정 소셜 로그인 Sign in with Google. Opens in new tab 로그인 아이디가 없으신가요? 회원가입 로그인이 어려우신가요?상세설명 보기