Japan has condemned Russia for what it perceives as “nuclear threats,” recalling that it was the only country in history to come under an atomic bombing. However, it did not mention that it was the US – its current ally – that dropped the nukes.
Speaking at the United Nations Security Council briefing on Friday, Japan’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Shino Mitsuko, condemned Moscow’s actions against Ukraine while lashing out at what she called “repeated nuclear rhetoric by Russia.”
“As the only country that has ever suffered atomic bombings during war, Japan will never accept Russia’s nuclear threats, let alone any use of nuclear weapons. The catastrophes of Hiroshima and Nagasaki must never be repeated,” she stressed, without naming the country responsible.
The US detonated two atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki in early August 1945, killing between 129,000 and 226,000 people, most of whom were civilians. The bombing remains the only instance in human history in which nuclear weapons were used in combat. For decades, US presidents have refused to apologize for the tragedy.
In a similar vein, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addressed the US Congress on Thursday, rebuking Russia for “continu[ing] to threaten the use of nuclear weapons, which has contributed to worldwide concern that yet another catastrophe by nuclear weapon use is a real possibility.” He also made no mention of the US nuclear attack on Japan.
Dmitry Polyansky, Russia’s first deputy ambassador to the UN, responded to Kishida's remarks by saying: “What a shame and disgrace.”
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said apparent attempts to downplay the US role in the atomic bombing of Japan and to falsely involve Russia in the narrative were “a classic example of fake news and disinformation.”
Despite speculation in the West that Russia could potentially resort to a nuclear option against Ukraine, officials in Moscow have repeatedly said that Russia would employ its atomic arsenal only if its very existence is at stake, stressing that a nuclear war must never be fought.
At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin said last month that Russia is “ready for a nuclear war from a military and technical standpoint.” He went on to rule out the use of tactical nukes against Kiev’s forces, noting that there has never been a need for such drastic measures.