Japan atomic power defenders: keep ability to build nuclear weapons

[kristopher]

Japan atomic power defenders: keep ability to build nuclear weapons
By Linda Sieg
TOKYO | Mon Feb 13, 2012 12:22am EST
Feb 13(Reuters) - Japan's nuclear power advocates have pulled out all the stops since the Fukushima crisis, even arguing that the only nation to suffer an atomic attack needs to keep its ability to build its own nuclear weapons.

Once, merely the public suggestion that Japan should debate ending its ban on such weaponry was enough to get a politician fired. But worries about North Korea's nuclear ambitions and an expanding Chinese military are eroding that taboo .

Last March's disaster at the Fukushima atomic plant, which spewed radiation and forced mass evacuations, has already prompted Japan to scrap a plan to boost nuclear power to over 50 percent of electricity demand by 2030 from 30 percent before the accident.

But...

..."If we had to start from basic research, it would take 5-10 years to create nuclear weapons, but since we have nuclear power technology, it would be possible to create nuclear weapons in the relatively short time of several months to a year," he said.

...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/13/japan-nuclear-arms-idUSL4E8DA2ZK20120213

[jody]

1. Nukes in a year! US, NATO, UN should blockade Japan to prevent that threat. They have recent history

of attacking other nations, something Iran doesn't have.

Where is the Mossad when we need them most to murder Japan's nuclear scientists?

[miyazaki]

2. What an absolutely terrible statement. n/t

[jody]

3. I agree 100%, but perhaps US policy towards Iran is also an absolutely terrible statement. n/t

[kristopher]

4. You consider 70 years ago "recent"?

Japan hasn't engaged in hostilities anywhere in the world since 1945 and it has a social structure that couldn't be more stable.

Iran finished a bitter war with Iraq far more recently and is a belligerent in the most politically unstable region of the world.

That said, the point in both cases is the way civilian nuclear power, once mastered, enables rapid development of nuclear weapons.

[Nihil]

5. That's a lot more recent than the last time that Iran attacked anyone ...

> Iran finished a bitter war with Iraq far more recently

"The war began when Iraq invaded Iran, launching a simultaneous invasion
by air and land into Iranian territory on 22 September 1980 following a
long history of border disputes"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran%E2%80%93Iraq_War

Be that as it may, the point being made by Jody (very effectively IMO) was
the pathetic inconsistency in the application of force by the USA (+ best
buddies) to "control" nuclear proliferation.