Changing role of the nuclear weapons
in the world
This research project was conducted from 2015 to 2017.
After the end of the Cold War, in the 2010 Nuclear Posture Review(NPR), the United States mentioned the decreasing role of nuclear weapons, while Russia has reaffirmed the role of tactical nuclear weapons. It has shown asymmetry of these two nuclear powers. In addition, signs have been pointing to an increasing role of nuclear weapons in the international strategic environment as China’s nuclear capabilities have modernized and nuclear competition in South Asia has intensified. In the changing international environment, the challenges relating to nuclear weapons and nuclear power in the security domain have grown; in addition to the increasing risk of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism, we are facing a re-definition of the role of nuclear weapons in national security policies through the world.
Based on an awareness of this problem, we analyzed the changing roles of nuclear weapons in national security/defense policies and strategies of countries and regions including the US, Russia, South Asia and Europe. The project also aimed to look at the disarmament and non-proliferation systems in this changing environment. Based on the results of this research project, The End of Nuclear Forgetting: Revival of Nuclear Weapons was published in June 2019. The book launch event was also held on July 19, 2019 at SPF.
Research Team Members
Nobumasa AKIYAMA
Professor, Graduate School of Law at Hitotsubashi University **Chair
Ken JIMBO
Professor, Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University
Yu KOIZUMI
Project Research Associate, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Tokyo
Masahiro KURITA
Research Fellow in the Asia and Africa Division, Regional Studies Department, National Institute for Defense Studies
Sugio TAKAHASHI
Chief, Policy Simulation Division at National Institute for Defense Studies
Hirofumi TOSAKI
Senior Research Fellow, Center for Disarmament, Science and Technology Japan Institute of International Affairs
Motohiro TSUCHIYA
Professor, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University