Meiji Restoration Accelerator, LDP confused, nuclear submarines, three non-nuclear principles, consolidation difficulties - three security documents, ruling party talks start

Ruling party working-level consultations between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Nippon Ishin no Kai began on the 10th with a view to revising three security-related documents. The biggest focus is on how to bridge the gap in opinion regarding nuclear policy. The Meiji Restoration is stepping up the pace to review the three non-nuclear principles and introduce nuclear submarines, while the Liberal Democratic Party is cautious with pros and cons. The negotiations, which have lasted about a month, are expected to run into difficulties.

Nuclear policy change to be considered for the first time; revision of three security documents; ruling party talks begin

◇Check the Liberal Democratic Party

"Our stance is as written in the proposal. We would like to ask for everything." After the first meeting, Keishi Abe, a member of the House of Representatives from the Meiji Restoration, was asked by reporters about his position on the review of the Three Non-Nuclear Principles, and he focused his efforts on making it a reality.

In its recommendations compiled in June, Ishin argued that ``practical considerations'' should be made to revise the matter without allowing it to be brought in. In light of the U.S. military's plan to deploy sea-launched cruise missiles (SLCMN) equipped with nuclear warheads as early as the 2030s, the government is calling for smooth port visits for nuclear-equipped U.S. ships. The background to this is a sense of crisis that, as China and North Korea rush to build up their nuclear arsenals, it is essential for the United States to strengthen extended deterrence, including the ``nuclear umbrella.''

The Meiji Restoration proposal also specified that nuclear submarines should be introduced as soon as possible, as they can carry long-range missiles and are capable of long-distance and long-distance submarine voyages. A senior official of the Meiji Restoration's Security Investigation Committee held back the LDP, saying, ``If we don't mention anything about nuclear submarines in the revision, we'll make a fuss.''

In contrast, the Liberal Democratic Party's proposal mentions ``the use of next-generation power'' regarding submarines equipped with vertical launch systems (VLS), but there is no clear mention of nuclear power. Given the political and economic costs of nuclear submarines, there are strong voices within the party that priority should be given to strengthening other equipment.

There is no mention of a review of the three non-nuclear principles. At the first meeting, Yasichi Hamada, Chairman of the Security Investigation Committee (former Defense Minister), said, ``I would like to discuss this carefully and firmly aim to revise the document for the benefit of this country.''

◇I can't see the Prime Minister's intentions.

As of summer, the two parties had not reached a consensus and submitted their recommendations separately to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Comparing the two, the prime minister said, ``I was stunned by the vast difference in content.'' This time, both parties agree on the need to bring the discussion together.

What the Liberal Democratic Party is having trouble reading is the intentions of a prime minister who is friendly to the Meiji Restoration. Although the prime minister has repeatedly said that he "firmly upholds the three non-nuclear principles as a policy," he has said that there is "room for consideration" regarding the content of the three documents, hinting at the possibility of changes.

However, the prime minister has not ordered any review to be considered, leaving the Liberal Democratic Party at a loss. A senior defense official pointed out that the series of nuclear policy reviews "affects the very foundations of the country's existence." He says there are many hurdles to overcome, including opposition from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the areas that suffered from atomic bombings, revisions to the Atomic Energy Basic Law, and the need to update the explanations that successive governments have given both domestically and internationally.``The party cannot move ahead without seeing the prime minister's resolve,'' he said.

The majority view within the Liberal Democratic Party is that it would be difficult to make a major change in defense policy in just one month. An LDP council member said, ``The Meiji Restoration is still unaware of the pain of the ruling party.Unlike during the LDP coalition era, the LDP now has no choice but to act as a brake.''