Gensuikyo presses government to oppose U.S.-India nuclear deal

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Gensuikyo presses government to oppose U.S.-India nuclear deal

The Japan Council against A & H Bombs (Japan Gensuikyo) requested the Japanese government not to support the U.S.-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement.

Japan Gensuikyo Vice Secretary Tsuchida Yayoi and representatives of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) and six other organizations, visited the Foreign Ministry on August 19 and submitted a statement to the Japanese government.

The statement said, “If the U.S.-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement comes into effect and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) approves the sales of nuclear fuels and related technologies to India, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty regime will remain in name only. We demand that the Japanese government urge the NSG not to make any exemptions or provide any nuclear power-related support to nuclear weapons-developing nations,” it said.

Tsuchida said that the United States and other NSG member states that are NPT member countries should strictly abide by the principle of nuclear non-proliferation. Stressing that banning nuclear weapons is the surest way to prevent nuclear fuels and technologies for civilian purposes from being used for nuclear weapons proliferation, she called for a Japanese government initiative for the total ban on nuclear weapons.

Concerning the U.S. and India pushing ahead with the early coming into force of their bilateral nuclear agreement, Chief Cabinet Secretary Machimura Nobutaka said on August 19, “At a time when global warming is a major focus of international attention, it is important that India develops clean nuclear power generation,” indicating that Japan may accept the agreement at the NSG general meeting in late August.

The U.S.-India agreement will enable India to receive nuclear technologies and fuels from the U.S. even though it is not a signatory to the NPT.

- Akahata, August 20, 2008