Japan's Dilemma and the Far Right in the U.S.

Japan has been the only country in history to have suffered nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end World War II (WWII) by the United States, today its main ally and defender. Japan has since adopted a pacifist constitution and now has a strong democracy. 

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's open threat to Taiwan, there is a significant rearmament of European countries and especially Japan, which has seen its territorial space threatened by China and North Korea.

Japan has been the only country in history to have suffered nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end World War II (WWII) by the United States, today its main ally and defender. Japan has since adopted a pacifist constitution and now has a strong democracy. Its army is a defensive force, as its constitution prevents it from declaring war to resolve conflicts. The question is whether it is prevented from strengthening its defenses and having nuclear deterrent weapons. 

Japan today maintains an ambiguous position on nuclear disarmament, although in the past it has been an active promoter. Breaking with tradition, Japan is doubling its defense spending, making it the world's third-largest arms spender. Japan updated its national security strategy to be able to develop counterattack capabilities in enemy territory. Japan is stepping up its work with non-U.S. allies to strengthen security in the Indo-Pacific. Japan has said it will support Taiwan's defense if required.

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Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's open threat to Taiwan, there is a significant rearmament of European countries and especially Japan, which has seen its territorial space threatened by China and North Korea. Japan has depended for its defense for the past 70 years on the U.S. military and nuclear umbrella. However, today it seeks to expand its military strength to deter its enemies from an attack.

In preparation for the summit of the G7 (the grouping of the largest industrialized democratic powers) that will take place in Hiroshima in May this year, the Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, made a tour of countries of that group. Global security and the maintenance of international order that Russia and China seek to modify are issues of first importance for the G7, so Kishida on his tour focused on strengthening and expanding military agreements with members of that group.

With President Biden, Kishida signed a new agreement for space security and cyberspace, reinforcing the coordination of his military commands. However, the alliance with the US depends on the president in turn, as demonstrated with Donald Trump who seeks to return to the White House in 2024. During his previous term, Trump questioned his country's military alliance with Japan and NATO, expressing the position of the extreme right of his country that seeks to isolate itself from global events, reversing the role of the US since the end of WWII. This would leave Japan's defense in their own hands. Japan's dilemma is whether or not it should have nuclear weapons in the face of the uncertainty of the possible return of the extreme right to power in the United States.

Credit: @GTraslosheros

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