| Summary/Abstract |
The mid-1960s to the mid-1970s were watershed years during which Japan made crucial decisions about its non-nuclear policies by interacting with the emerging nuclear non-proliferation regime. The decision to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty [NPT] generated tense debates amongst elite foreign policy officials, politicians, and the nuclear industry. This analysis explores their relationships and examines why Japan honoured its commitment to the non-proliferation regime. Following a micro-level analysis of archival evidence, in the face of uncertainty and disagreement regarding adherence to nuclear non-proliferation rules and norms, Japanese concerns over diplomacy and the domestic economy became key considerations in Tokyo’s decision-making process around its non-nuclear policy until ratification of the NPT in 1976. Although focusing solely on Japan, this examination’s findings may provide insight into other nations’ non-nuclear policies based on economic and political, rather than military or security, incentives and suggests scope for further research in the field of nuclear non-proliferation.
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