Japan could produce nuclear weapons in less than three years: Report

A recent report highlights that Japan possesses the technical capability and sufficient raw materials to develop nuclear weapons within three years if it chose to do so. Japan currently holds large stockpiles of separated plutonium—around 9 tons as of 2014, enough for approximately 5,000 nuclear bombs—and about 1.2 tons of enriched uranium. Coupled with its advanced civil nuclear industry, missile and space-launch technology, and elite scientific and industrial capacity, Japan is considered a "latent nuclear power," able to quickly design a basic warhead and integrate it with existing delivery systems. This potential development would likely result in a limited nuclear arsenal rather than a large-scale Cold War-type stockpile. The discussion around Japan’s nuclear potential comes amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in Asia, with increasing regional tensions involving China and Russia. Former US diplomat Henry Kissinger warned in 2023 that Japan could become a nuclear power within five years, reflecting concerns about the erosion of the post-World War II order in the