Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun

China is paying close attention to the relevant media reports, and if the information is true, the situation would be quite serious, exposing the dangerous plot of some people in Japan to violate international law and acquire nuclear weapons, and China and the international community must be highly vigilant and deeply concerned, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Friday, in response to reported claim of a senior Japanese official that "Japan should possess nuclear weapons."

According to multiple Japanese media outlets including Kyodo News and Asahi Shimbun on December 18, a senior official within Japan's Prime Minister's Office claimed to reporters that, in light of the increasingly severe security environment surrounding Japan, he believes that "Japan should possess nuclear weapons." Reports claimed that the official is responsible for providing security policy advice to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Guo further noted that Japan has repeatedly made erroneous statements and moves on military and security issues for some time, substantially adjusted its security policy, loosened restrictions on the exercise of the right of collective self-defense, and attempted to use various means, such as "strengthening extended deterrence cooperation" to seek nuclear sharing and revising the Three Non-Nuclear Principles, to push for the return of allied nuclear weapons to Japan. The recent signals from some Japanese forces about possessing nuclear weapons reflect the expanding ambitions of right-wing conservative forces in Japan to revive militarism, break free from the constraints of the international order, and accelerate remilitarization.

Guo said that Japan has tried to portray itself as a flagbearer of building a nuclear weapon free world and to shape a narrative of being a nuclear victim of WWII. In reality, however, Japan has failed to thoroughly reflect on the wars of aggression it launched, and has become a source of instability that challenges the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and undermines the international nuclear nonproliferation system. The international community must remain clear eyed and recognize Japan's hypocritical stance on nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear disarmament. 

Recently, multiple Japanese political parties, politicians, and many civic groups and organizations have called for adherence to the Three Non-Nuclear Principles and for preventing the tragedy of war from repeating itself. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Japan must deeply reflect on its historical crimes, abide by international law and its own constitution, stop seeking excuses for military expansion, and stop testing the bottom line of international justice on the issue of nuclear weapons, Guo said.

Global Times