On August 25 (Moscow time), according to TASS news agency, Russian Presidential Assistant cum Executive Secretary of the Organizing Committee of the Eastern Economic Forum, Mr. Anton Kobyakov, said that Japan could possess its own nuclear weapons within 1 year.
Mr. Kobyakov believes that Japan is accelerating militarization, and at the same time assesses that Tokyo's role in US strategy in the region and in the world is changing significantly.
There have even been discussions about Japan's ability to build nuclear weapons in about 1 year," Kobyakov said.
According to Russian officials, recent statements by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi show that Tokyo is moving towards a more direct role in regional and international security issues.
Mr. Kobyakov said that recent statements by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi show that Tokyo is having a new approach to security policy.
At the memorial service for the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in early August, Ms. Takaichi said Japan still adheres to 3 non-nuclear principles, but did not make a clear commitment that these principles will continue to be maintained in the future.
Mr. Kobyakov's statement was made in the context of Russia paying special attention to the trend of militarization and changes in Japan's security policy.
Currently, the Japanese side has not responded to the above assessment.
