Azernews.Az

by Alimat Aliyeva

The Japan Renewal Society Party, a junior partner in the ruling coalition, has called for equipping the country’s Maritime Self-Defense Force with nuclear-powered submarines and has also proposed discussions on lifting the ban on the import of nuclear weapons, AzerNEWS reports.

This is stated in an official party document that is expected to be submitted to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for review in the near future.

The party’s position was formulated in the context of ongoing work on revising Japan’s core national security strategy, which is planned to be completed by the end of the year. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the leading force in the governing coalition, has already prepared its own proposals. While they do not explicitly mention nuclear submarines or the import of nuclear weapons, reports suggest that there are still influential voices within the party supporting such ideas.

Japan is currently bound by the so-called Three Non-Nuclear Principles—never to possess, produce, or allow the introduction of nuclear weapons on its territory. Although these principles were adopted by government decision and are not legally binding, they have long been a cornerstone of Japan’s postwar security identity.

The Japan Renewal Society Party, along with some factions within the LDP, argues that these principles may need to be reconsidered in light of the evolving regional security environment. In particular, they suggest that revising or relaxing the third principle could, in theory, allow for the temporary deployment of US nuclear weapons in crisis scenarios, thereby strengthening deterrence within the Japan–US alliance.

Analysts note that such a shift would mark a significant departure from Japan’s traditional pacifist stance and could reshape the security balance in East Asia. At the same time, discussions around nuclear submarines are often linked to broader debates about China’s growing naval presence and North Korea’s missile program, both of which are seen in Tokyo as key drivers of its accelerating defense policy transformation.