China accuses Japan of secretly pursuing nuclear weapons

Friday 09 January 2026 - 07:50

By: Dakir Madiha

China accuses Japan of secretly pursuing nuclear weapons

China has sharply escalated its diplomatic clash with Japan, releasing a detailed report that charges Tokyo with covert nuclear weapons research and ambitions that undermine the post-World War II global order. The 29-page document, issued by the Chinese Association for Arms Control and Disarmament alongside the Chinese Institute of Nuclear Industry Strategy, marks Beijing's most pointed critique yet of Japan's security stance under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters that Japan's government has openly exposed the nuclear aspirations of its right-wing factions. She highlighted calls from Takaichi and other officials to revisit the country's three non-nuclear principles, which pledge not to possess, produce, or allow nuclear weapons on Japanese soil. The report alleges that Japan conducts secret nuclear arms studies, stockpiles vast amounts of sensitive nuclear materials, and holds the technical know-how to manufacture weapons-grade plutonium.

Mao Ning warned that these growing nuclear ambitions from Japan's right-wing elements signal a perilous revival of militarism. She urged Tokyo to clarify its stance and honor its commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The accusations come amid broader frictions that ignited last November, when Takaichi floated the idea of Japanese forces intervening if China used force against Taiwan. Beijing retaliated with economic steps, including a January 6 ban on exporting dual-use goods, items suitable for both civilian and military purposes to Japanese military end-users. The following day, China opened an anti-dumping probe into Japanese exports of dichlorosilane, a chemical key to electronics chip production.

China's Foreign and Defense Ministries issued synchronized statements blasting Tokyo's supposed remilitarization drive, according to Bloomberg. Japan's Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi lodged protests over the export curbs, calling them unacceptable deviations from international norms, but Beijing dismissed the appeals. Tensions spotlighted a December episode where a senior Japanese official suggested to reporters that Japan should acquire nuclear arms, though the government later reaffirmed fidelity to its non-nuclear principles. Opposition parties in Japan have slammed the Takaichi administration, with some leaders branding it the most dangerous Liberal Democratic Party government since World War II.