Tokyo's straying from Tokyo Trials judgments measures its push to advance neo-militarism

At a time when the world is marking the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trials, the hard-won lessons of history are once again being tested. Developments surrounding nuclear nonproliferation, regional security and Japan's political and military moves have raised serious concerns about whether the country is honoring its postwar commitments or drifting toward dangerous revisionism.

Speaking at a review conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in New York on Monday, China's Ambassador for Disarmament Affairs Shen Jian stressed that the global nonproliferation regime must not be undermined by double standards. As the cornerstone of international nuclear governance, the treaty relies on the authority of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the trust of nonnuclear-weapon states. Yet, certain countries' selective application of the rules is eroding that foundation.

Shen pointed in particular to Japan's recent trajectory. Tokyo has in recent years released a series of troubling signals. Discussions about revising the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles", the expansion of long-range strike capabilities, and interest in hosting nuclear weapons under so-called "extended deterrence" arrangements all suggest a shift that warrants vigilance.