InsideJapan News Network

The Japanese government has confirmed the existence of a Cold War agreement between it and the US which saw American nuclear warships pass though its ports.

The making of such an agreement between the two nations has been the subject of much speculation and has been seen as an "open secret" by many.

However, the nuclear pact goes against principles which Japan swore to after the second world war and the devastating bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Following the bombs, Japan said it would adopt "non-nuclear principles" and pledged to refrain from making nuclear weapons, to never be in possession of them and to not allow such weapons onto Japanese soil.

Now, the pact has come to light and it has been revealed that these principles were got around by Japan allowing the US to carry weapons through ports - which technically does not break any of the pledges.

The Japanese government has stepped away from confirming the rumours in the past over public backlash fears - Japan is the only country in the world to have been hit by a nuclear bomb.

Written by Kimberley Homer.