The Japanese government recently looked into the possibility of
developing a nuclear warhead, a news report said yesterday, citing
an internal government document.
Yasuhisa Shiozaki, the government's top spokesman, however,
denied any knowledge of such a document.
The Japanese daily Sankei reported that experts at
government organizations concluded that it would be impossible for
Japan to develop nuclear weapons within a year or two, and that it
would take at least three to five years to make a prototype nuclear
warhead.
The experts also estimated that Japan would need to spend 200
billion yen (US$1.68 billion) to 300 billion yen (US$2.52 billion)
and mobilize several hundred engineers to produce a prototype
nuclear warhead, according to Sankei.
The experts did not say whether Japan should develop nuclear
weapons, according to the summary of the document titled "On the
Possibility of Developing Nuclear Weapons Domestically," dated
September 20 and carried by the paper.
"The government is not aware of such a document," Shiozaki told
reporters at a regular press conference.
As the only country ever attacked by atomic weapons, Japan has
for decades espoused a strict policy of not possessing, developing
or allowing the introduction of nuclear bombs on its territory.
The non-nuclear stance, however, has come under increasing
scrutiny since Pyongyang conducted its first nuclear test on
October 9, which raised severe security concerns in Japan, and
broader fears that a regional arms race could be triggered. Just
months prior to North Korea's nuclear test, it test-fired several
ballistic missiles capable of hitting Japan.
Several politicians have suggested that Japan should at least
debate going nuclear following the October 9 test.
The government, under newly elected Prime Minister Shinzo Abe,
has said the country's pacifist Constitution does not ban it from
possessing nuclear weapons for self-defense, but stressed that
Japan would stick to its policy of forbidding nuclear weapons on
Japanese soil.
Japan's huge plutonium stockpile from nuclear power stations is
a major international concern, partly because it could be a target
of terror attacks or could be turned into nuclear weapons.
(China Daily December 26, 2006)
