Japan’s push for nuclear-powered submarines overlooks pacifist legacy, regional arms race dynamics, and Indigenous Okinawan concerns

Japan’s post‑war pacifism, enshrined in Article 9 of the Constitution, created a historical norm that rejected nuclear weapons and limited offensive military capabilities. The nuclear taboo persisted through the Cold War, shaping public opinion and policy debates even as the Self‑Defense Forces expanded. Revisiting this historical precedent reveals how current proposals break with decades of normative restraint and risk reigniting domestic and international controversies.