Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has suggested that Japan should not treat nuclear-related policies as a taboo and should engage in discussions, leading to interpretations that he is hinting at a potential review of the country's "Three Non-Nuclear Principles."

The Three Non-Nuclear Principles—which state that Japan will not possess, manufacture, or allow the entry of nuclear weapons—are considered one of the nation's core state policies.

In an appearance on the internet broadcast "Genron TV" released on July 18, Defense Minister Koizumi stated, "While it is a difficult topic for Japan to discuss, nuclear weapons are one of the things we cannot avoid mentioning."

He pointed to recent trends in Europe, noting that France has been strengthening its nuclear capabilities since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and that Finland has allowed the entry of nuclear weapons into its territory.

He emphasized that Japan, too, must "have a sense of crisis and discuss and pursue all policies without taboos."

Following these remarks, Japanese media interpreted Koizumi's comments as an expression of his belief that the Three Non-Nuclear Principles should not be exempt from discussion as the Japanese government works to revise its three key security documents by the end of the year.

Although Koizumi did not explicitly call for a review of the Three Non-Nuclear Principles, the Asahi Shimbun reported that he criticized the opposition party's stance on maintaining the principles, questioning, "Isn't it the case that prioritizing the preservation of the status quo has pushed the protection of Japan to the background?"

While Japan relies on the U.S. nuclear umbrella, the Three Non-Nuclear Principles have made the "nuclear sharing" model—where U.S. tactical nuclear weapons are stationed within a country, as seen in NATO—a taboo subject.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has previously raised the need to review the "no entry" component of the Three Non-Nuclear Principles, making it a focal point in the discussions surrounding the revision of the three security documents.

When asked in the Diet recently about the necessity of discussing a review of the Three Non-Nuclear Principles, Prime Minister Takaichi replied that the government would discuss all relevant issues.

Last month, the Japan Innovation Party, a coalition partner, submitted a proposal to the government regarding the revision of the three security documents. In it, they emphasized the importance of extended deterrence provided by the U.S. nuclear umbrella and demanded that the government engage in a "realistic review" with the potential revision of the "no entry" principle in mind.

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