Kishida stresses Russia should never use nuclear weapons

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:01 JST, October 12, 2022

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stressed that Russia should never use nuclear weapons nor threaten to use them, during a video conference with the leaders of the G7 on Tuesday.

“There must be no threat or use of nuclear weapons by Russia,” Kishida said during the 90-minute meeting, which included the leaders of Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States. “We must not make Ukraine the next victim of nuclear weapons.”

Kishida expressed Japan’s intention to closely monitor the situation as the possibility that Russia might use nuclear weapons “can never be ruled out.”

Regarding the fact that Moscow and pro-Russian forces had conducted sham referendums in four provinces in the east and south of Ukraine and unilaterally declared the annexation of these provinces, Kishida said, “It’s unacceptable.”