August 5, 2026

The 2026 Defense White Paper, which was released on August 4, changed the wording regarding the Three Non-nuclear Principles. This appears to be intended as a step toward revising the principles, Akahata pointed out.

For at least 37 years since 1989, the annual white paper has used the wording “observing the Three Non-nuclear Principles”. In this year’s paper, the wording changed to “observing the Three Non-nuclear Principles as a set of policy guidelines”. Meanwhile, the paper maintained the term “national policy”. This may be intended to avoid criticism for removing that term.

To date, the Three Non-nuclear Principles have been reaffirmed repeatedly as a national policy through Diet resolutions. However, Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, since taking office, has not referred to the principles as a “national policy”, but rather as “policy guidelines”.

For example, at a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting on July 27, in response to Japanese Communist Party Executive Committee Chair Tamura Tomoko who urged PM Takaichi to continue upholding the three principles, Takaichi reiterated, “The government is adhering to them as policy guidelines.”

PM Takaichi, in a book which she edited and co-authored in 2024, questioned the third component in the Three Non-nuclear Principles of not possessing, not producing, and not permitting the bringing-in of nuclear weapons. She argued that the “not bringing in” principle is an obstacle because it conflicts with the Japan-U.S. alliance, including strengthening U.S. nuclear deterrence.

The Takaichi government intends to discuss a review of the three non-nuclear principles in the revision of the three key national security documents scheduled for the end of the year.