Post #6057

🇬🇧🇯🇵UK Doubted Japan's Nuclear Ban Policy in 1985 Declassified British Foreign Ministry documents, released at the National Archives in London, show that UK officials in 1985 believed Japan's three non-nuclear principles had been "not clear or consistent" regarding port calls — particularly given that American and French vessels were already conducting visits. Britain was seeking permission for one of its own ships to enter Japanese ports, following a cancelled call by aircraft carrier Invincible over fears it carried nuclear weapons. British officials also stated they did not believe the US was informing Japan about nuclear weapons aboard visiting ships. Japan's three non-nuclear principles — prohibiting possession, production, and introduction of nuclear arms — were first adopted in 1967 and carry particular weight as the only nation to have suffered atomic bombings. A 2010 Japanese Foreign Ministry investigation later confirmed a tacit agreement with Washington during the Cold War that effectively allowed US nuclear-armed ships to enter Japanese ports without prior consultation, rendering Japan's stated policy largely performative during that period. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office in October 2025, has not ruled out reviewing the non-nuclear principles amid deteriorating regional security conditions. #Japan#UK @asianomics