日媒曝自卫队曾在有关台湾的桌面推演中要求美国使用“核恐吓”，日团体强烈反对

Core Viewpoint - Japan's Self-Defense Forces have requested the United States to use "nuclear intimidation" against China during a tabletop exercise simulating a Taiwan crisis, leading to strong opposition from various civic groups in Japan [1][3]. Group 1: Exercise Details - The tabletop exercise took place in February of last year and was the first to directly identify China as a hypothetical enemy, with scenarios developed collaboratively by Japanese and American officials [3]. - Japan's Self-Defense Forces repeatedly urged the U.S. to employ "nuclear intimidation" in response to China's implied use of nuclear weapons in the scenarios, which the U.S. ultimately accepted [3]. Group 2: Public Reaction - Civic groups in Hiroshima have expressed strong opposition to the Japanese government's involvement in U.S. nuclear strategy, emphasizing that it undermines Japan's historical stance against nuclear weapons [3]. - The chairman of the Hiroshima atomic bomb victims' association criticized the government for disregarding the voices of atomic bomb survivors, expressing outrage over the situation [3]. Group 3: Strategic Implications - The recent developments indicate a new phase in Japan's reliance on U.S. nuclear capabilities, raising concerns about the potential escalation of tensions between China and the U.S. [3]. - The Japanese government is perceived to be strengthening the U.S. nuclear umbrella over Japan while sidelining public opinion on the matter [3][4].