Kuala Lampur, Nov. 10 -- The recent announcement that the Republic of Korea (South Korea) has secured US approval to develop nuclear-powered submarines marks a significant shift in North-east Asia's security architecture, with profound implications for Japan and the wider region. This move is not merely bilateral-it signals tectonic shifts in maritime deterrence, alliance burden-sharing, and the evolution of non-proliferation norms in an already volatile Indo-Pacific.

Japan's strategic dilemma: prestige, principles, and practicalities

For Tokyo, South Korea's new capability effectively raises a mirror question: if Seoul may now obtain nuclear-propulsion technology for undersea warfare, should Japan ask Washington for the same? Japan is ...