Opportunity for strong leadership

From  The Japan Times
READERS IN COUNCIL,  Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009

By DAVID ROTHAUSER
Brookline, Mass.

Regarding the Oct. 11 article “Many in DPJ (Democratic Party of Japan) want Japan to cut link to U.S. nukes”: I agree, Japan should cut all nuclear ties with the United States. There are two good reasons. First, the U.S. nuclear umbrella is a myth. America cannot possibly protect Japan from a nuclear attack. America cannot even protect itself from a nuclear attack. Nuclear war is a no-win situation as it is, more than ever, mutually assured destruction.

The second reason to cut nuclear ties with the U.S. is that it would free Japan to work collaboratively with the Obama administration on the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Japan, because of its commitment to Article 9 of its Constitution, has lived in peace for 65 years. That is a powerful legacy. If Japan can use that power to influence the U.S. to adapt Article 9 to the U.S. constitution, that will be an important beginning toward achieving world peace. Then Japan and the U.S. can form a partnership to set an example for other nations in working to abolish nuclear weapons. Once that is achieved, there will be no need to have nuclear ties to any country.

The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer’s own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.

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