APLN member Hiromichi Umebayashi examines the inconsistency in words and deeds of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The original article is published in Japanese on April 1, 2023. To read the full article, please download the PDF file on the left.

Last year, Prime Minister Kishida again participated in the 10th NPT Review Conference that took place amidst the challenging situation of Russian aggression against Ukraine. There, he made a speech on the Hiroshima Action Plan for nuclear disarmament. However, at home, he announced a new security policy to acquire military capabilities to attack bases located on enemy territory, which used to be banned by the Peace Constitution, and to double Japan’s defense expenditure in five years in terms of its GDP ratio. This message of the enormous military expansion of Japan has weakened the security environment in Asia and undermines efforts towards nuclear abolition. His words and deeds are highly inconsistent. In such circumstances, real “Inconvenient Truths” for nuclear abolition will not enter his field of vision.

Image: https://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/101_kishida/actions/202305/21kaiken.html