Plan to Add 'Review of Nuclear-Powered Submarines' to Japan's Security Documents Gains Traction

Will Avoid Explicitly Stating the "Introduction"
Adds "Collective Resilience" to Counter China's Economic Weaponization
Self-Defense Forces to Expand Cyber Defense for Private Companies

The Japanese government is considering explicitly including a review of the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines in the three key security documents it plans to revise by the end of the year, The Asahi Shimbun reported on November 11. The three documents are the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy, and the Defense Buildup Program, which set out Japan's core defense strategy and defense spending.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attends a meeting of senior Self-Defense Forces officials. Kyodo-Yonhap

According to The Asahi Shimbun, the Japanese government is discussing including a policy to either "begin research and studies into introducing nuclear-powered submarines" or "reach a conclusion after further consideration." The idea is seen as an attempt to leave room for future consideration while avoiding an explicit commitment to introduce them.

The Japan Innovation Party, a coalition partner, called for a review of the three non-nuclear principles—which state that Japan will not possess or manufacture nuclear weapons, or permit them to be introduced into the country—alongside the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines during working-level talks with the Liberal Democratic Party on November 10. The LDP is taking a cautious stance, taking domestic and international public opinion into account.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who holds the key to the decision, is reportedly sympathetic to the Japan Innovation Party's position but has not expressed her support openly. Jiji Press reported that a review of the three non-nuclear principles was not even mentioned at the working-level meeting, and that the prevailing view within the LDP is that it would be difficult to make a major shift in defense policy in just one month. Some also believe it will be difficult to resolve the key issues by the mid-December deadline for preparing the revised documents.

Kyodo News reported that at a meeting of the LDP's Security Research Commission on November 11, some participants also said discussions were needed on "nuclear sharing"—deploying U.S. nuclear weapons in Japan and operating them jointly—as well as on considering whether Japan should possess nuclear-powered submarines.

At the meeting, the Japanese government announced plans to include the concept of "collective resilience" in the National Security Strategy. The aim is to work with allied countries and emerging and developing economies to counter the "weaponization of the economy," such as China's restrictions on exports of critical minerals. The plan is to use the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and official development assistance (ODA) to strengthen supply chains for critical minerals, energy, food, and other goods.

The revised documents are also expected to outline plans to activate a multilateral network centered on the U.S.-Japan alliance and bringing together South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, and other countries, as well as to respond to "new ways of warfare" involving drones and artificial intelligence (AI).

According to The Nikkei, the documents will also include plans for the Self-Defense Forces to use AI to protect companies operating critical infrastructure in sectors such as electricity, telecommunications, and finance from cyberattacks in peacetime. Provided that a company requests assistance and an independent body approves it, the Self-Defense Forces would analyze system logs and communications and, if traces of an attack are found, infiltrate the hacker's base server and carry out "neutralization measures" to disable or delete it.

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