ญี่ปุ่นยัน – Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a news conference at the prime minister’s office in Tokyo, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. Japan reaffirmed its decades-old pledge never to possess nuclear weapons on Dec 19 after local media reported that a senior security official suggested the country should acquire them to deter potential aggressors. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Photo via AP)

ภาพประกอบ – The 6th Air Wing of Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s F-15 fighters hold a joint military drill with the U.S. B-52 bomber over Sea of Japan, in this handout picture taken by Japan Air Self-Defence Force and on December 10, 2025, and released by the Joint Staff Office of the Defense Ministry of Japan on December 11, 2025. Joint Staff Office of the Defense Ministry of Japan/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT.

ญี่ปุ่นยัน – ภาพประกอบ – FILE -The Liaoning, China’s first aircraft carrier, sails into Hong Kong for a port call to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) garrison’s presence in the semi-autonomous Chinese city and former British colony on July 7, 2017. The ‍unnamed official ​said Japan needed nuclear weapons because of a worsening security environment ‍but acknowledged that such a move would be politically difficult, public broadcaster NHK and other outlets reported, describing the official as ​being from ​Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s office. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)