History of Nuclear Weapons Part 5: 'A World Without Nuclear Weapons' and the Great Powers That Cannot Ratify [Modern History] #395

The current state of the treaty aiming for a nuclear-free world is discussed.

Adopted by the United Nations in 2017, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons saw 19 countries, including Austria and Vietnam, ratify it by 2018, with nations like South Africa showing a positive stance. On the other hand, there is the ironic reality that major nuclear-armed states like the U.S. and Russia have chosen not to participate.

The reasons why Japan does not ratify the treaty are brought into focus.

Despite being a victim of atomic bombings, Japan has not joined this treaty. It appears there are complex diplomatic reasons at play, such as a desire to avoid deepening the divide between nuclear-armed and non-nuclear states. While some aspects may be understandable, one cannot help but feel the frustration of a situation that is far from straightforward.

You will be surprised by the weight of words that sound similar but differ in meaning.

In the latter half of the program, the difference between the terms 'ratification' (hijun) and 'approval' (shounin) is explained in detail. In fact, these two terms carry completely different legal weights and procedures. Understanding this distinction might fundamentally change how you view the news. The discussion continues even deeper, so please listen to the full episode to hear the rest.