Studies on Interrelationships between Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K13627
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 06020:International relations-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University (2021); Osaka University (2019-2020)
• Principal Investigator: HIDAKA KAORU 東北大学, 法学研究科, 助教 (70806124)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 安全保障 / 軍縮不拡散

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research project theoretically and empirically examined the relationships among the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons), which have been analyzed separately in the literature, with a particular focus on the impact of nuclear weapons on the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons. The results of the research found that, for states with nuclear weapons, biological weapons are considered "redundant" weapons, similar in strategic level to nuclear weapons but inferior in military utility, while chemical weapons are recognized for their flexible utility, which differs from that of nuclear weapons.

Free Research Field

国際関係論

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

上記知見のポイントは、これまで切り離されて議論される傾向にあった核兵器・生物兵器・化学兵器を結びつける視点を提示したことである。たとえば、生物兵器と化学兵器の政治的な意味合いの違いが、上記のように「核兵器との関係性」いう補助線を引くことで明確化される。このような学術的意義に加えて、大量破壊兵器の軍縮不拡散措置について解釈する際に、それが他の大量破壊兵器にどのような影響をもたらすかという点も加味した兵器横断的な視点を持つ重要性を提示したという点で社会的・政策的意義も大きい。