November 8, 2016
Antinuke activists and concerned citizens on November 7 held a meeting in the Diet building to oppose a Japan-India nuclear energy accord following media reports that the two governments may sign the agreement this month.
Antinuclear organizations in Japan and India have been opposing the bilateral nuclear deal, warning that exports of Japan’s nuclear-related technologies including nuclear power plants to India could mean giving Japan’s approval for India to continue to develop nuclear weapons.
Kumar Sundaram, senior researcher at the Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace India, pointed to the fact that Pakistan which has been in conflict with its neighboring country of India already declared its nuclear armament. Sundaram said, “Giving a hand to India’s nuclear development program will negatively influence South Asian security, going against the global effort for nuclear nonproliferation. It is highly possible that the agreement will lead to human disaster.”
Fukunaga Masaaki, visiting professor at the Center for South Asian Studies of Gifu Women’s University, said, “The signing of the accord can be seen as the world’s only atomic-bombed nation destroying the NPT regime.”
Late last year, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo visited India and agreed upon the conclusion of the nuclear pact between the two countries. To coincide with the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendora Modi to Japan, Abe will reportedly sign the agreement on November 11.
India is neither a NPT nor CTBT member. In 1998, it declared its nuclear armament after conducting nuclear weapons test explosions. In 2008, the country concluded a nuclear pact with the United States. With this, it has become able to acquire nuclear technologies as an exception to the nonproliferation regime. The agreement with Japan is also part of this measure.
Past related articles:
> Citizens’ groups hold rally to oppose Japan-India nuclear energy deal [February 27, 2016]
> Anti-nuke citizens protest against conclusion of Japan-India nuclear cooperation agreement [December 13, 2015]
Antinuclear organizations in Japan and India have been opposing the bilateral nuclear deal, warning that exports of Japan’s nuclear-related technologies including nuclear power plants to India could mean giving Japan’s approval for India to continue to develop nuclear weapons.
Kumar Sundaram, senior researcher at the Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace India, pointed to the fact that Pakistan which has been in conflict with its neighboring country of India already declared its nuclear armament. Sundaram said, “Giving a hand to India’s nuclear development program will negatively influence South Asian security, going against the global effort for nuclear nonproliferation. It is highly possible that the agreement will lead to human disaster.”
Fukunaga Masaaki, visiting professor at the Center for South Asian Studies of Gifu Women’s University, said, “The signing of the accord can be seen as the world’s only atomic-bombed nation destroying the NPT regime.”
Late last year, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo visited India and agreed upon the conclusion of the nuclear pact between the two countries. To coincide with the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendora Modi to Japan, Abe will reportedly sign the agreement on November 11.
India is neither a NPT nor CTBT member. In 1998, it declared its nuclear armament after conducting nuclear weapons test explosions. In 2008, the country concluded a nuclear pact with the United States. With this, it has become able to acquire nuclear technologies as an exception to the nonproliferation regime. The agreement with Japan is also part of this measure.
Past related articles:
> Citizens’ groups hold rally to oppose Japan-India nuclear energy deal [February 27, 2016]
> Anti-nuke citizens protest against conclusion of Japan-India nuclear cooperation agreement [December 13, 2015]
