Japan Says It Remains Committed to Nonnuclear Principles

Tokyo, July 23 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government remains committed to upholding its three nonnuclear principles of not possessing nuclear weapons, not producing them and not allowing them into the country, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said on Thursday. “The government firmly adheres to the three nonnuclear principles as its policy position,” Kihara told a press conference after Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Wednesday called for discussing nuclear deterrence “without setting any taboos.” Kihara said Japan will work on boosting the credibility of extended deterrence, including the U.S. nuclear umbrella. He declined to say whether the government plans to review the three nonnuclear principles as part of a revision to its three key national security documents at the end of this year. Asked for comment after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced concerns over strained Japan-China relations, Kihara said, “Our country is open to various dialogues.” “We’ll continue to communicate with China, while responding calmly and appropriately from the viewpoint of our national interest,” Kihara said. “We’ll work closely with the United States and others” on the matter, he added. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]