Jealous of South Korea? Japan is set to develop nuclear-powered submarines.

Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono stated that in light of US President Trump's recent approval of South Korea building nuclear-powered submarines, Japan must also seriously consider incorporating nuclear-powered submarines into its self-defense fleet. On November 7th, the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported the above news. On November 6th, Taro Kono discussed submarine propulsion systems on a Tokyo Broadcasting System television program, saying, "Japan's security environment in the surrounding area has indeed become very severe, and we must discuss whether to continue using traditional diesel propulsion or to choose nuclear-powered submarines." The Asahi Shimbun report pointed out that Japan faces multiple challenges, including the enormous cost of developing and operating nuclear-powered submarines. More importantly, Japan's Basic Atomic Energy Law clearly states that nuclear energy is only for "peaceful purposes," which could lead to significant legal disputes as to whether Japan can lawfully possess nuclear-powered submarines. The report stated that during the US-Korea summit, South Korean President Moon Jae-in asked the US to allow the provision of fuel for nuclear submarines to counter the threats from China and North Korea. On October 30th, Trump announced on his social media platform that he had approved South Korea's construction of nuclear-powered submarines. Compared to traditional diesel-electric submarines, nuclear-powered submarines have significant advantages, including significantly extended underwater operational time and stronger maneuverability.