On November 17, 2025, governors of Okinawa and Nagasaki took a firm stand against Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's reports that she may revise Japan's Three Non-Nuclear Principles. In separate press conferences, Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki and Nagasaki Governor Kengo Oishi argued that any move to backtrack on the policy would betray Japan's unique history and undermine global disarmament efforts.
"As the only nation to endure atomic bombings, the people of Japan will absolutely not accept a change to the Three Non-Nuclear Principles," Tamaki told local media, underscoring the moral weight of Sato's 1967 declaration that committed the country to not possess, produce, or allow nuclear weapons on its soil.
Governor Oishi echoed the warning in Nagasaki: "For a city that experienced an atomic attack, even contemplating a review of these principles is completely unacceptable." His remarks reinforced a lasting legacy in which survivors and their communities drive Japan's identity as a proponent of nuclear abolition.
The Three Non-Nuclear Principles were enshrined by then-Prime Minister Eisaku Sato in 1967 as a national credo. They have shaped Japan's defense posture for nearly six decades and stand as a pillar of its pacifist constitution.
This debate comes at a time when global security challenges—from rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula to evolving U.S.-China relations—are prompting countries to reconsider their defense strategies. Yet, Japan's grassroots opposition highlights a persistent divide between policy shifts and public sentiment.
As discussions unfold in Tokyo, residents across Japan and observers around the world await the government's next move. For many global citizens, this moment underscores the delicate balance between national security and the enduring call for a world free of nuclear weapons.
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Okinawa, Nagasaki oppose PM's push to revise non-nuclear principles
cgtn.com
