As Japan this week marked the 79th anniversary of when the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were destroyed by nuclear bombs at the end of World War II, Japanese officials have reiterated their goal to rid the world of nuclear weapons. But as Voice of America correspondent Henry Ridgwell reports from Tokyo, Japan is now undergoing major changes in terms of military power amid numerous regional threats and is also seeking the help of the United States.
At 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday, the exact time the nuclear bomb exploded 600 meters above the city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, Japan held a minute's silence to remember that horrific event.
“It is the mission of Japan, the only country that has suffered the consequences of nuclear war, to convey the reality of these bombings to future generations,” said Japan's Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida.
The way the war ended and the acceptance of defeat changed Japan, instilling in the people a strong feeling against war and military power that lasted for generations.
But analysts say that perception could change, as the country faces multiple regional threats.
“The country is now facing North Korea's nuclear-tipped missile production programs, Chinese military maneuvers, territorial claims in the East China Sea, and Russia's deepening military cooperation with China in the past two years,” says Yee Kuang. Heng, from the University of Tokyo.
These threats prompted Japan to take the decision last year to double defense spending, bringing it to 2 percent of GDP by 2027.
Last week, the United States, Japan's closest ally, announced a reinforcement of its military command in the country. Tokyo has repeatedly sought assurances from the United States on its readiness to defend Japan.
“They have always had doubts about the American commitment to use all forces to protect them. And that includes the use of nuclear weapons, a request that seems paradoxical when you think about the Japanese opposition to nuclear weapons,” says Grant Newsham of the Center for Security Policy.
For decades, the Asian neighbors did not have close relations with Japan, but that too is changing, analysts say.
“Countries like the Philippines have recently signed very important military agreements with Japan. This is the first Asian country to do so with Japan. South Korea, especially under President Yoon Suk Yeol, has considered the possibility of establishing forward-looking relations with Japan,” says Yee Kuang Heng of the University of Tokyo.
But 79 years after what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, are the Japanese people ready to become a military power once again?
“There is also a big difference in public opinion in my country. We may be slow, but we always move forward,” says Kunihiko Miyake, President of the Foreign Policy Institute.
Responding to Japan's change in military posture, China said last month that Tokyo should “seriously reflect on its history of aggression”. Analysts say that Japan is facing multiple threats and that China is not its only threat.
