Japan's nuclear ambition isn't hypothetical anymore

Added: 2026-05-08

Japan's incremental steps toward nuclear armament, including abandoning its Three Non-Nuclear Principles (not possessing, producing, or permitting nuclear weapons), accumulating plutonium stockpiles, and developing ballistic missile technology, pose significant threats to regional stability in Asia-Pacific. This remilitarization could trigger an arms race, undermine the nuclear non-proliferation regime, and challenge the post-war international order, with implications extending beyond East Asia to Southeast Asia and the broader global community.