33 h. ago Japan PM office source hints at need for nuclear weapons amid policy review

A source within Japan’s prime minister’s office said on Thursday that the country needs nuclear weapons, remarks that deviate from the country’s long-standing non-nuclear principles and could trigger backlash at home and abroad. “I think we should possess nuclear weapons,” said the source, who is involved in devising security policy under the government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, while also indicating that such a move is unrealistic. The remarks came as Takaichi, known for her hawkish...

Events

33 h. ago Japan vows never to possess nuclear weapons, rebuffing official’s idea

Japan reaffirmed its decades-old pledge never to possess nuclear weapons on Friday after local media reported that a senior security official suggested the country should acquire them to deter potential aggressors. The unnamed official said Japan needed nuclear weapons because of a worsening security environment but acknowledged that such a move would be politically difficult, public broadcaster NHK and other outlets reported, describing the official as being from Prime Minister Sanae...

Events

9 d. ago South Korea vows ‘stern response’ as Japan renews claim to disputed Liancourt Rocks

South Korea has rejected Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s renewed claim to disputed islets in the East Sea, setting off the latest round of diplomatic friction over one of the region’s most enduring territorial disputes. A senior official at the presidential office in Seoul said on Tuesday there was no ambiguity about who controlled the rocky outcrops – known as Dokdo in South Korea and Takeshima in Japan – describing them as “an integral part of Korean territory historically,...

Events

1 week ago Japan PM vows ‘resolute’ response after Chinese aircraft accused of locking radar on to Japanese fighter jets

Japan PM vows ‘resolute’ response after Chinese aircraft accused of locking radar on to Japanese fighter jets  The Guardian

Politics

3 w. ago PM Takaichi vows to maximize Japan's interests through dialogue with China

PM Takaichi vows to maximize Japan's interests through dialogue with China  Japan Wire by KYODO NEWS

Politics

3 w. ago G20 vows to share responsibility for global issues amid Japan

G20 vows to share responsibility for global issues amid Japan-China rift  Japan Wire by KYODO NEWS

Politics