WASHINGTON: ISHIBA Shigeru, new leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, has said that the sharing of the United States’ nuclear weapons in Asia should be considered under the initiative of creating an Asian version of NATO proposed by him.

In a commentary article in Japanese contributed to the Hudson Institute on Friday, Ishiba said, “The creation of an Asian version of NATO is essential,” according an unofficial translation prepared by the think tank in Washington.

Ishiba, who is slated to be elected prime minister by Japan’s parliament Tuesday, then argued that the Asian version of NATO must “consider America’s sharing of nuclear weapons or the introduction of nuclear weapons into the region” to ensure deterrence.

Also in the article, he said that Russia and North Korea have formed a military alliance recently and that nuclear technology is being transferred from Russia to North Korea.

He went on to say: “If China’s strategic nuclear weapons are added to these dynamics, the U.S. extended deterrence in the region will no longer function. This is to be supplemented by an Asian version of NATO, which must ensure deterrence against the nuclear alliance of China, Russia and North Korea.”

Furthermore, Ishiba said that his administration will aim to contribute to regional security by strengthening the Japan-U.S. alliance and that the Japan-U.S. status of forces agreement can be revised to allow the Japanese Self-Defense Forces to be stationed in Guam to strengthen the deterrence capabilities of the two countries.

JIJI Press