Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara Says Japan Upholds Its Nonnuclear Policy as Opposition Demands Senior Aide’s Dismissal

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:45 JST, December 20, 2025

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a Friday press conference that the government was “upholding the three nonnuclear principles” in explaining its position on nuclear weapons. He added that, as the only country to have suffered atomic bombings in wartime, Japan would “continue advancing its efforts toward realizing a world without nuclear weapons.”

Kihara was responding to questions about the consistency of the government’s stance after a senior official at the Prime Minister’s Office responsible for security policy said on Thursday that “Japan should also possess nuclear weapons.”

In response to that remark, Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, told reporters on Friday that “there is a problem with someone who holds such views being near [the prime minister],” and called for the official to be removed, saying it would be appropriate for him to step down without delay.

Tetsuo Saito, leader of Komeito, also criticized the comment, telling reporters it was “a grave statement worthy of dismissal.”

The senior Prime Minister’s Office official made the comment during an exchange with reporters that was premised on being off the record. On nuclear armament, the official said it was “something that should be debated” and that “having the debate itself becomes a deterrent.”

The official also explained that the government is not considering nuclear armament and that, given the implications under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, realizing such a policy would be difficult.

Japan’s three nonnuclear principles are not to produce or possess nuclear weapons or to allow such weapons to be brought into the country.