Regarding the Aug. 25 opinion article "Japan ready for 'no nukes' ": In a country like Thailand, which is a party to the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Bangkok Treaty) of 1995, it is rewarding to learn that Japan is ready for "no nukes." If the antinuclear sentiment in Japan is sufficiently strong, Japan will be able to bring a significant contribution to giving tangibility to the relevant doctrine of the United Nations, according to which nuclear-weapon-free status is one means of ensuring the national security of states.
Indeed, such a status, if internationally recognized, would contribute to enhancing stability and confidence-building in Asia as a concrete and persuasive step toward promoting the ambitious objective of nuclear nonproliferation at a global level. That would also offer appropriate political conditions that are vitally required for the creation of a favorable climate in the process of multilateral diplomatic negotiations conducive to a universal commitment to the total elimination of all nuclear weapons.