Kakuheiki-shi Part 4: Why Humanity Cannot Abolish Nuclear Weapons [Modern History] #394

A groundbreaking treaty to "totally prohibit" nuclear weapons was adopted.

In July 2017, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was adopted at the United Nations. It was unprecedented in its strength, declaring that nuclear weapons would not be permitted for any reason, covering everything from development and possession to use and even threats of use. However, there was a significant shadow cast over this adoption.

Not only nuclear-armed states, but unexpected countries also opposed it.

It was somewhat expected that nuclear-armed powers like the United States, Russia, and China would oppose it. However, surprisingly, non-nuclear nations such as South Korea and Germany, and even Japan—the only country to have suffered atomic bombings—chose to oppose the treaty or declined to even participate in the negotiations.

The reality of relying on a "Nuclear Umbrella" for national security.

Behind the opposition from countries like Japan lies the existence of a "Nuclear Umbrella," which provides protection from nuclear-armed allies like the United States. As long as nations depend on nuclear deterrence to counter threats from others, they face a dilemma where even a victim of atomic bombs cannot easily support the treaty. There is much more to this complex issue, so please listen to the full episode for the rest of the story.