Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe believes Japan should host US nuclear weapons.

*Paromita Das

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has suggested that Japan consider hosting US nuclear weapons.

With Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine deepening, 67-year-old Abe appears to have seized the moment to promote his opinion that the country should renounce its pacifism and arm itself with offensive weapons.

In a TV interview on Sunday, the conservative politician suggested that Japan pursue a program similar to NATO’s nuclear sharing doctrine, which permits countries without nuclear weapons to store such weapons on their territory for future use in conflict.

“We should not place a taboo on discussions about the realities we face,” Abe, who is still a powerful voice in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said.

This comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin has made veiled threats of nuclear war in response to Western sanctions imposed in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Abe’s statement appears to have irritated numerous individuals in the country, which suffered tremendous devastation during WWII as a result of two atomic bombs. The current prime minister and other anti-nuclear lawmakers have condemned it.

Abe has also advocated for the development of a first-strike capability against enemy bases in order to deter nuclear-armed North Korea and an assertive China.