Photo/Illutration Atomic bomb survivors and their descendants call for the abolition of nuclear weapons in front of the Peace Statue in Nagasaki on Dec. 9. (Ryo Ikeda)

“To those waiting with bated breath for that favorite media catchphrase, the ‘U-turn,’ I have only one thing to say: ‘You turn if you want to. The lady’s not for turning!’”

This was said by British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in her speech to the Conservative Party Conference in October 1980.

At the time, discontent was brewing among the Tories over her austerity budget and extensive program of privatizing state-owned entities. But she had no intention of reversing her position.

Lately, this aggressive-sounding phrase--“the lady’s not for turning”--has been popping up in my head frequently.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s “rice voucher” program has been drawing backlash from multiple local governments. As well, her use of the expression “battleships” in reference to a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan has disturbed a hornets’ nest, so to speak.

But in neither case has Takaichi backed down, corrected herself, or retracted her statement. She appears to be emulating Thatcher, her respected role model.

However, Takaichi may be finally facing a situation that she won’t be able to just shrug aside.

A senior official at the Prime Minister’s Office on Dec. 18 told reporters that Japan should acquire nuclear weapons. The official may have been merely stating a personal opinion, based on the nation’s severe national security environment. Still, the inanity of the statement is stunning.

It was said against the background of the possibility that the Takaichi administration may review Japan’s long-established three non-nuclear principles of “not possessing, not producing and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons.”

The official reportedly pointed out that arming the nation with nuclear weapons would not be easy in reality. Still, it is hard to believe that this individual was just being careless with a slip of the tongue.

The fact is that at least one “senior official at the Prime Minister’s Office” seriously believes in Japan’s need to acquire nuclear weapons and is ready to speak out on the issue.

Opposition parties and some members of the Liberal Democratic Party are calling for this official’s removal.

While Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara on Dec. 19 reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to the three non-nuclear principles, he also declined to comment on “every report.”

In a group of like-minded members, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to keep a broad perspective. What if the group keeps hurtling along in one direction and eventually finds itself unable to turn back?

The thought is too scary even to consider.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 20
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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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