Going Nuclear in Asia: More Than Just Building a Bomb

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a joint press conference after their meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, on May 7, 2023. Jung Yeon-je/Pool Photo via AP

Commentary

Could America’s Asian allies go nuclear? This is a recurring scenario, given continuing concerns in Tokyo, Seoul, and even Canberra that Washington’s security commitment to Asia—and particularly its promise of extended nuclear deterrence—may be less than dependable.