In fact, the Senkaku Islands are... inherent territory of Japan that is recognized in our history and also by international law.

The trend in the world right now is - not just in developed countries, but in developing countries including China and India - there is a movement to build more and more nuclear plants.

When the world has 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 nuclear plants, can we call that a safe world? I think we need to properly have this debate.

After the Second World War, people in Japan no longer died for their country, and even that expression was no longer used.

If you are unable to understand the cause of a problem it is impossible to solve it.

I wouldn't call myself anti-nuclear. I seek a society non-reliant on nuclear energy, a society that can do without nuclear energy, and Japan can prove a role model. It’s possible.

I believe in any country, matters that relate to its territory would, of course, provoke strong sentiments amongst the people of that country.