February 04, 2025

Japan's Nuclear Dilemma: A Public Perspective

33 minutes

Adam engages with Professor Yohichiro Sato to explore the evolving security landscape in Asia, particularly from the Japanese perspective. The conversation delves into Japan's concerns regarding North Korea's nuclear ambitions, China's assertiveness in the region, and the implications for Japan's defense policies. Sato discusses the strong anti-nuclear sentiment in Japan, the potential reconsideration of nuclear weapons, and the importance of the US-Japan alliance in maintaining regional stability. The episode concludes with reflections on future scenarios and the need for collaboration among regional powers.

PROFESSOR YOICHIRO SATO holds a BA (Law) from Keio University, MA (International Studies) from University of South Carolina, and Ph.D. (Political Science) from University of Hawaii. He currently teaches at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. He was also a visiting senior research fellow at Yusof Ishak Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), 2022-23. His major works include Re-Rising Japan (co-edited with Hidekazu Sakai, Peter Lang, 2017), Handbook of Indo-Pacific Studies (co-edited with Barbara Kratiuk, Jeroen Van den Bosch, and Aleksandra Jaskólska, Routledge, 2023), and Alliances in Asia and Europe: The Evolving Indo-Pacific Strategic Context and Inter-Regional Alignments (co-edited with Elena Atanassova-Cornelis and Tom Sauer, Routledge, 2023). He is active in media and foreign policy circles, appearing and having written for and been quoted, in more than 30 media and think tank outlets globally, including BBC, Al Jazeera, and Bloomberg.

Chapters

00:00 Japanese Perspectives on Regional Security

14:56 The Credibility of the US-Japan Alliance

30:02 Future Scenarios and Japan's Nuclear Considerations

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