[ken5050]

I suspect that seismology has something to do with this..since the big quake/tsunami, lots more major quakes close offshore...If they ever had a really bad one that clobbered a good piece of Toyko, Japan would be essentially defenseless, because ALL of the military ( excuse me..self-defense forces) would be focused on rescue and relief) They need a viable deterrent..that can only be nukes..

[TigerLikesRooster]

There has been no political will to push nuclear armament in Japan. Memory of getting nuked and long prosperity made people uneasy about it. The political mood will shift definitely if another quake does damage equal or more than the one last March.

Even without any major quake, Fukushima crisis is doing grave damage for economy and public health. Heightened sense of fear generally radicalize population.