Part 4 of 7 in a series continuing The Asymmetry — Seen From Their Side, which asks whether the rules we demand from an adversary are rules we are willing to apply to ourselves and our allies.
Japan lives near three nuclear powers—China, Russia and North Korea—but has no nuclear weapons of its own. It relies on the American nuclear umbrella and hosts American military aircraft, including F-35As—a platform certified in dual-capable configurations. That does not establish that nuclear bombs are stored at those bases or assigned to every unit. To Japan, the bases can be protection; to a neighbor, they can appear as a potential strike capability. [4][17][21]
The asymmetry: the same aircraft can symbolize defense to one country and danger to another.
Sources
[4] SIPRI, Yearbook 2026 nuclear forces summary, 8 June 2026
[17] FAS / Bulletin, United States nuclear weapons, March 2026
[21] U.S. Air Force, F-35A permanently stationed at Misawa, Japan, March 2026
Full exhibits and source trail: The Asymmetry — Seen From Their Side.
AI collaboration: Andreae.com/aiwork — working method.