Takaichi Faces Controversy Over Remarks on 'Three Non-Nuclear Principles' in Nagasaki After Hiroshima

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi mentioned Japan’s Three Non-Nuclear Principles at the Nagasaki atomic bomb memorial ceremony, following her previous remarks in Hiroshima. However, as she did not clearly express her intention to maintain these principles going forward, the controversy continues.

On August 9 at the "Nagasaki Memorial Service and Peace Ceremony" held at Nagasaki Peace Park, Prime Minister Takaichi stated, "Japan is adhering to the Three Non-Nuclear Principles, and under the pledge to make Nagasaki the last city to suffer a nuclear attack, we are making practical and realistic efforts toward achieving a world without nuclear weapons."

The Three Non-Nuclear Principles are Japan’s basic policy of not possessing, not producing, and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons. The controversy centers around Prime Minister Takaichi’s use of the phrase "adhering to," with critics pointing out that—unlike previous prime ministers, who used the phrase "while adhering to"—her choice of words only describes the current maintenance of the principles rather than a commitment to upholding them.

Prime Minister Takaichi used the same expression at the Hiroshima ceremony on August 6. According to Kyodo News, her word choice may reflect her long-advocated stance on reconsidering the Three Non-Nuclear Principles.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is giving a greeting at the 'World Maritime Nations Conference' held in Tokyo on June 3. 2026.6.4 Photo by Yonhap News Agency

In 2022, while serving as Policy Research Council Chair of the Liberal Democratic Party, Prime Minister Takaichi suggested making exceptions to the principle of "not permitting introduction" of nuclear weapons in case of emergency, and mentioned the possible port calls of U.S. vessels armed with nuclear weapons. Whether the Japanese government will include a review of the Three Non-Nuclear Principles in the three major security documents set for revision this year has also become a focal point of discussion.

In a press briefing on the same day, when asked whether she would participate as an observer at the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) review conference in November, she avoided a direct answer, saying, "It needs to be considered from the perspective of what is truly effective for both Japan’s security and substantial progress in nuclear disarmament." However, she did recognize the TPNW as "an important treaty that could serve as an exit toward a nuclear-weapon-free world."

Japan has not joined the TPNW, taking into account the U.S. nuclear umbrella. Instead, Prime Minister Takaichi stated that Japan will pursue practical and realistic nuclear disarmament efforts under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) framework, which includes participation from both nuclear-armed and non-nuclear-armed countries.

Suzuki Shiro, the mayor of Nagasaki, labeled nuclear weapons as an "absolute evil," and urged that, while upholding the Three Non-Nuclear Principles, Japan should shift to a security policy that does not rely on nuclear deterrence.

During the ceremony, a moment of silence was observed at 11:02 a.m., the exact time of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki in 1945, with delegations from 98 countries and the European Union in attendance.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.