Kamae Ippei

Kamae Ippei: Boston University, Center for the Study of Asia

Why Hasn’t Japan Gone Nuclear?

Japan has long been explained as a potential nuclear power or seen as an associate member of the nuclear club, reasonably so with its wealth and technology. One of the prominent International Relations theory explaining Japan’s behavior is, as A. E. Levite puts, “nuclear hedging.” Although this theoretical explanation of nuclear reversal behavior, in the case of Japan, seems plausible, we lack empirical verification and can, through the theory, provide only an inaccurate qualitative explanation of Japan’s nuclear policy as a whole. I will seek to discuss what other concept can be brought up in analyzing the nuclear reversal behavior of Japan.