Appearance in “80 Years After the War: Don’t Let Today Become Prewar” [in Japanese]
On January 9, 2025, Professor Nobumasa Akiyama of the Graduate School of Law appeared on Deep News, a program titled “80 Years After the War: Don’t Let Today Become Prewar.” The program discussed strategies to prevent the recurrence of nuclear devastation considering rising global nuclear threats, including Russia’s nuclear intimidation and China’s nuclear force buildup. Professor Akiyama highlighted that the risk of nuclear threats from Russia remains high. While maintaining ambiguity around “red lines” is an effective means of preserving deterrence, he noted that the U.S.’s incremental deployment of forces complicates the interpretation of Russian intentions. This, in turn, has led Russia to continuously issue new signals, further destabilizing the situation. Furthermore, in the era of military arms races between the U.S., China, and Russia, traditional arms control treaties face challenges. Professor Akiyama emphasized the need to discuss crisis management from the perspective of how to avoid the worst-case scenarios. Lastly, he outlined specific measures to prevent nuclear war, including the importance of avoiding the sending of misleading signals, establishing effective deterrence systems, and understanding each country’s perception of threats.
