Declassified UK Files Reveal Doubts Over Japan's Anti-Nuclear Stance in the 1980s
Theo Kyodo News
Newly declassified UK documents show that in the mid-1980s, the British government doubted Japan's claim that it barred nuclear weapons from its territory. The files reveal concerns about whether Japan would allow US warships with nukes to transit or dock. This skepticism underscores Cold War tensions between the allies.
According to recently declassified and published documents at the National Archives in London, the British government expressed skepticism regarding Japan's anti-nuclear weapons stance in the mid-1980s.
Specifically, the documents indicate that London questioned the veracity of Japan's assertion that nuclear weapons were not permitted on its soil. This doubt reflected differences in perspective between the two allies amid the Cold War.
The declassified files include reports, correspondence, and meeting minutes between British and Japanese officials, revealing UK concerns about Japan's potential tolerance of US warships carrying nuclear weapons transiting or making port calls in Japan.
Japan, which suffered the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, maintains a policy of three non-nuclear principles: not producing, possessing, or allowing nuclear weapons on its territory. However, the documents show that Britain doubted the practical enforcement of this policy.
The release of these documents comes amid ongoing debates about nuclear security and the role of nuclear weapons in the defense strategies of allied nations.
