Japan Nuclear Submarines: Takaichi Signals Shift in Defense Policy

Talking about the Ukraine war, “change in the security environment”
Military trains near Dokdo… Japanese government protest

Regarding the possibility of introducing nuclear-powered submarines, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (photo) said on the 23rd, “We will not rule out all options and will review the necessary policies to strengthen deterrence and response.” This is the first time that Prime Minister Takaichi, who took office on October 21 this year, has hinted at the possibility of introducing nuclear submarines. On the 24th, the Yomiuri Shimbun revealed that Prime Minister Takaichi said this in an interview the day before.

Previously, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the ruling coalition Japan Yushinkai first hinted at the introduction of nuclear submarines when they decided to pursue the possession of submarines equipped with vertical launch systems (VLS) using next-generation power in their agreement to establish a coalition government. Subsequently, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara and Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi also sparked discussions on introducing nuclear submarines, saying, “We will not rule out all options.” In this situation, when Prime Minister Takaichi even mentioned the possibility of introducing nuclear submarines, some say that the Japanese government has started to publicize the introduction of nuclear submarines.

Prime Minister Takaichi also said in a meeting with the editor-in-chief of Kyodo News affiliated media on the 23rd that “we must increase our ability to conduct sustained warfare,” assuming that Japan becomes embroiled in a conflict.

He mentioned the prolonging war between Russia and Ukraine and said, “The security environment is changing significantly. There is a need to strengthen it according to Japan’s independent judgment.” He also reiterated his intention to speed up the revision of the ‘three major security documents (National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, and Defense Capacity Development Plan)’ revised in 2022.

In an interview with the Nihon Keizai Shimbun on the same day, Prime Minister Takaichi said, “I want to hold a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump as early as possible.” While President Trump is expected to hold a meeting with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China, as early as April next year, he appears to have emphasized his intention to meet with President Trump before President Xi. There are also predictions that Prime Minister Takaichi may directly request President Trump to introduce nuclear submarines.

Meanwhile, the Navy announced on the 24th that it conducted East Sea territorial defense training in the waters near Dokdo. This is the second training near Dokdo since the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration. Military authorities conduct the East Sea Territory Defense Training, a Dokdo defense exercise, near Dokdo twice a year. The Japanese government objected. According to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Masaaki Kanai (金井正彰), Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Asia and Oceania Bureau, complained to Kim Jang-hyeon, Attaché for Political Affairs at the Korean Embassy in Japan, and Hirotaka Matsuo (松尾裕敬), Director-General of the Japanese Embassy in Korea, complained to Kim Sang-hoon (Director of the Asia-Pacific Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs).