…Because Countries with Nuclear Weapons Don’t Get Attacked

Japan's foreign minister Taro Aso has said there should be a public debate about whether the country acquires nuclear weapons.

But he stressed that Japan, the only nation to suffer a nuclear attack, would stick to its policy of not possessing or allowing nuclear weapons. North Korea's nuclear test on 9 October has triggered fears of a possible arms race in East Asia.

The US has reiterated its commitment to defend Japan in light of the test.

Following talks with Taro Aso in Tokyo, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the US "has the will and capability to meet the full range... of its deterrent and security commitments to Japan."

Mr Aso also confirmed his government has no plans to go nuclear.

"There is no need to have nuclear weapons as the Japan-US security framework will be activated for the defense of Japan," he said.

But earlier, Mr Aso told a parliamentary committee that it was right for Japan to debate the issue.

"When a neighboring country is going to have nuclear weapons, one can refuse to even consider the matter," he said. "But I think it is important to discuss the issue."

He said the government's position "to stick to its three non-nuclear principles will not change".

"But the issue of nuclear possession has been discussed by many people for decades, and it is only in Japan where the discussion about its own nuclear possession is completely absent," he went on.

Popular support

His comments echo those of a top ruling party official, Shoichi Nakagawa, who said at the weekend that Tokyo should discuss the issue "because countries with nuclear weapons don't get attacked".

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has this week repeated his assurance that Japan would never go nuclear.

Japan's policy on nuclear weapons stems from WWII, when the US dropped atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima andNagasaki. The policy has long had the popular support of the public.

But if Japan - conceivably most at threat from a nuclear-armed North Korea - ever did decide to obtain nuclear weapons, analysts say South Korea might quickly feel under pressure to follow suit.

This may persuade China, until now the region's only nuclear power, to modernize its own arsenal, potentially triggering a similar response from Taiwan.

After Ichibana class on Friday, I had the opportunity to have a conversation with my sensei. What started out to be a light small-talk type conversation, soon turned into a full blown information session that left me in awe of this woman’s intelligence, resilience, kindness, and wisdom. It also left me in fear for my life! In Japan, they get the newspaper twice a day, and her afternoon paper had just arrived. We were looking through it and read all about North Korea and the progress with the nuclear bomb testing and potential sanctions by America and U.N. (Well she read to me because I still haven’t learned Kanji) That is when she started telling her story: She was born in 1933 (and doesn’t look a day over 45) and therefore lived through WWII. She told her story proudly yet there seemed to be stoic quality about the way she spoke about death and the War. She was only in Junior High when the bombs went off in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. They had already been bombing Tokyo (where she lived at the time) and her house had caught on fire and burned to the ground. With no where to go, her family decided to send her to the onaca (country side) with the city’s other children to keep them safe from harm. The families who could afford to move relocated while the others stayed behind. Originally the nuclear bomb dropped on Nagasaki was supposed to be dropped on the city I live in, Niigata. Niigata is where the General of the Japanese Army was born and grew up, and therefore, I suppose, a strategic military decision in defeating Japan. BUT…thanks to Niigata and its crappy weather ALL THE TIME! The day was too foggy and they couldn’t proceed with the original plan; therefore, the planes moved inland and the bombs were dropped on Nagasaki instead! This article about recent developments in nuclear testing reminded me of her story. She also told me that we used to have a ferry between Niigata and Korea but since the threat of N. Korea on transportation, they have since stopped the ferry. In Niigata airport, you can also get a direct flight to Korea which may also be stopped soon. As of now, N. Korea does not have the technology with regards to transporting a nuclear weapon to the U.S. HOWEVER, in her opinion, since Niigata is the closest to Korea, we would be a prime target for bombs, nuclear or otherwise!

I’m so lucky that I got placed here!!! This is one piece of news that I will be following EVERY DAY but I think it is obvious as to why! Wish me luck! One nuclear bomb has already been dropped on one Hiroshima, I would HATE for the second to hit another HIRASHIMA!