[Tsuwabuki]

There are two conflicting interests here. Nyororin describes the typical Japanese response from the "man (or woman) on the street." At least two to three full generations of Japanese have been raised as pacifists, with the ultimate fear being nuclear weapons. A suggestion by the political establishment to allow nuclear weapons in mainland Japan would be greeted by unanimous disgust (well, all but the black van driving nationalists, but no one takes them seriously). Even Okinawa would be bad enough.

This, however, conflicts with Japan's populous's unwillingness to defend itself at all. If America is to be tasked with defending Japan, and America says it needs nukes to do that defending... I don't know. Right now the Japanese have their cake and are eating it too. They can claim to be a pacifistic nation completely uninterested in military operations, even to the point of their own defense... knowing full well if the fecal matter hits the ceiling mounted rotary cooling device, the US will swoop in to defend it.

Of many things in Japan that I find hypocritical (and note, I still love it here, and it is my home, no country is immune from hypocrisy), this routinely stands out in my mind.

There is a status quo in Japan that neither side will probably rock. I would doubt, in this day of nuclear disarmament, with Obama claiming to work with Russia on the largest stockpile reduction since President Reagan's administration, that America would ask for this "secret agreement" of Nixon's (if it exists, and it may well exist), to be put into action. It would just be stupid.