Japan's Defense Force is only for defense. Nuclear weapons are hardly defensive (though in some situations that could be). They are under the American nuclear umbrella. That should be enough.
I disagree. Japan is a close ally of the USA, and a good ally against China. Why shouldn't we want them to have a strong military and nuclear threat ?
In the coming decades, China will be a major foe. Japan's interests are close to ours, let them become a regional factor in that struggle. It will benefit Japan and the USA.
Not so sure the U.S. is a reliable ally.
If the Dems were to control both houses and the presidency, and the chi-coms went after japan for past present and future imagined grivences do you think Japan could rely on the U.S. for anything?