China warns Japan over nuclear ambitions

Beijing has expressed shock over comments made by a senior Japanese official regarding nuclear weapons.

"If Japan dares to challenge international norms and test the limits of the international community, we will not take this lightly," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.

He added that China firmly opposes such dangerous trends.

On December 19, a senior official advising Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has suggested that Japan should contemplate acquiring nuclear weapons, given the escalating security threats in the region and doubts over the reliability of the U.S. nuclear deterrent.

Speaking to reporters on 18 December, the official, who emphasised that the comments reflected personal views rather than government policy, said Japan should “start discussions about acquiring nuclear weapons” in light of growing regional challenges.

The official highlighted China’s nuclear expansion, Russia’s ongoing nuclear capabilities, and North Korea’s continued missile and nuclear developments as key factors driving the need for reassessment. “The security environment surrounding Japan has become increasingly severe, and we cannot ignore the potential limitations of relying solely on allied deterrence,” the adviser said.

However, the official acknowledged that pursuing nuclear weapons would face significant legal and political obstacles. Japan is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which recognises only five nuclear-armed states: the United States, Russia, Britain, France, and China. “Acquiring nuclear weapons would be extremely difficult under the current international framework,” the official noted.

The adviser also stressed that any move towards nuclear armament would require “significant political will to review Japan’s three non-nuclear principles,” which have guided Tokyo’s defence policy since the 1960s.

By Aghakazim Guliyev