Essay on Japan's Non-Acquisition of Nuclear Weapons: A Look at Historic Conventions

The available literature on the reason why Japan does not acquire nuclear weapons indicates that as of 2017, of the three categories of the evidence of mass destruction, two of them had been banned by the convention on biological weapons, which took place in the year 1972 (Chanlett-Avery, 2010). Additionally, a conference on chemical weapons that took place in the year 1993 also banned the use of such weapons (Chanlett-Avery, 2010). The only time in the history of the world when nuclear weapons were used was in the year 1945 towards the end of World War 2 when the United States military bombed Japan's Hiroshima and Nagasaki provinces (Jones, 2010). The experience that Japan had was a significant influence on the current stand on the nuclear weapons policy in Japan. Japan is a staunch member of the proponent of all nuclear non-proliferation statutes and regimes. The state of Japan has never developed a nuclear weapon.

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Among the significant reasons why Japan has not developed a nuclear weapon, the program is due to the treaties that it has signed, which do not allow member states to engage in the production of these types of weapons. Japan's disarmament of nuclear weaponry and the non-proliferation plan has been founded on four primary pillars. The pillars include the following:

The Three Non-nuclear Principles. This policy was embraced in the year 1968 by the government of Japan together with the Japanese Diet, where Japan promises not to produce, purchase, possess or allow the introduction of any nuclear weapon into the soils of this nation (Chanlett-Avery, 2010).

The Tokyo compliance with the agreement of the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons also holds back Japan in possessing nuclear arms. Japan is an active member of this treaty and works to strengthen it all the time (Chanlett-Avery, 2010).

The reliance of Tokyo on the extended nuclear deterrent by the United States of America.

The Atomic Energy Basic Law of the year 1955. The law prohibits Japan from using, producing, or owning any nuclear weapon plan or weapons (Chanlett-Avery, 2010).

Among the reasons why Japan never owns any nuclear plant or weapons are based on the pillars mentioned earlier. Some of the reasons include its commitment to disarmament initiatives. Japan commits itself to disarm and ensure that the country does not have any nuclear weapons and to support the Non-proliferative treaty, which remains in place since the agreement was signed into operation in the year 1976 (Chanlett-Avery, 2010). Additionally, Tokyo has intensified efforts towards empowering multilateral nuclear disarmament regimes since the 1990s. Following the end of the Cold War, Japan has been stressing on the need to have international disarmament to enhance the peace of the world as well as that of Japan (Chanlett-Avery, 2010).

The existing literature also reveals that another reason why Japan does not have access to nuclear weapons the extended nuclear deterrence by the United States of America. The security relationship between Japan and the US has fueled the emphasis that Tokyo has on the disarmament of nuclear weapons among the countries of the world. The US uses deterrence to ensure that no countries in the world attempt to launch any of their nuclear weapons, which they might be having (Chanlett-Avery, 2010). For this reason, Japan becomes a beneficiary of this and chooses to remain without the weapons so as not to provoke the US. Additionally, the National Defense program of Japan operates under the guidelines of the US deterrent that is against the threat of nuclear weapons (Chanlett-Avery, 2010). This has also increased the interest of the US in ensuring that the process of disarmament takes place, and Japan is among the nations that strongly subscribe to the commitment of disarming. As a result, it chooses to remain without any nuclear weapons to enhance the campaign and to lead by example.

Nuclear energy is detrimental to the environment as it causes pollution as well as jeopardizing the lives of the people as it can lead to disease due to the use of radioactive materials in the nuclear plants (Chanlett-Avery, 2010). Japan being aware of this, takes measures to ensure that it protects its environment from this pollution as well as protecting its citizens from the diseases that may result from irradiations from the radioactive material emitted from the nuclear plants. This does not, however, mean that Japan does not have nuclear reactors for the production of nuclear energy, which contributes to the national grid. The Great East Japan Earthquake occurred in the Tohoku region on the 11th of March 2011, which destroyed the reactors (Chanlett-Avery, 2010). It was risky for environmental safety, and the authorities had to take into consideration these risks and even terminated some of the plans it had of setting up new nuclear reactors.

Conclusion

In conclusion, nuclear weapons are weapons of mass destruction. Once they are used, they can wipe out a substantial number of people and cause other devastating effects on the environment and health of the people. During the attack at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan learned a lesson, and this made it work to ensure that such weapons do not get launched on people. For this reason, Japan has consistently campaigned on the disarmament of the nations that have nuclear weapons. Japan is a member of various treaties that regulate production and possession of nuclear weapons, and due to these treaties, Japan cannot possess any nuclear weapons. Additionally, the United States of America always ensures that it limits the production of these weapons, and this prevents japan from engaging in their output. Finally, due to the natural issues in Japan, where earthquakes affect it from time to time makes it an unsuitable place to set up nuclear reactor plans, and this also makes Japan not have nuclear weapons.

References

Chanlett-Avery, E. (2010). Japan's nuclear future: policy debate, prospects, and US interests. DIANE Publishing.

Jones, M. (2010). After Hiroshima: The United States, Race and Nuclear Weapons in Asia, 1945-1965. Cambridge University Press.