Japan secretly developing nuclear weapons: Yazhou Zhoukan

Want China Times ^ | Feb 18, 2014 | staff

[bkopto]

The Hong Kong-based Yazhou Zhoukan reports that Japan is secretly developing a nuclear weapons program in anticipation of a potential crisis over the Diaoyutai (Diaoyu or Senkaku) islands in the East China Sea.

Japan is currently the only nation in the world which has a complete nuclear industry. Mitsubishi, Hitachi and Toshiba are the three largest Japanese companies which produce nuclear energy. Under those three corporations, there are an additional 200 smaller firms which possess nuclear fuel or who have the know-how to handle plutonium.

For this reason, Yazhou Zhoukan said Japan has the ability to build its own nuclear bomb if it were to revise its postwar peace constitution. Japan holds a total of 40.7 tonnes of plutonium, including 5.5 tonnes in Japan, 21.6 tonnes in France and 13.6 tonnes in the United Kingdom. The country also accumulates about 3,000 tonnes of nuclear waste in its six disposal facilities located in Aomori prefecture, which surpasses the figure for the United States.

Major General Yoshiaki Yano of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force said in an article written for Japan Military Review magazine that Tokyo should adjust its nuclear policy despite the damage this might do to its relationship with Washington. With the capability to build at least 2,000 nuclear warheads, Japan has recently demanded the United States return 300 kilograms of plutonium. A Japanese military analyst told Yazhou Zhoukan that Washington has paid close attention to the potential development of nuclear weapons in Japan.

The United States recently retrieved 579 kilograms of highly enriched uranium from Japan lent to Japan during the Cold War era for research. With 579 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, Japan would be able to build at least 20 nuclear bombs, according to Yazhou Zhoukan.

[Candor7]

China could absorb 20 nukes and still function as a country>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Not if the pattern was relegated to coastal cities and Beijing.

[nonliberal]

I would let OTHER PEOPLE rape and murder. Difference. Plus, China is the enemy. All bets are off.

Barbaric, yes. But we should fight to win.

[PIF]

After WWII, the Chinese wanted to have all male Japanese killed, all Japanese women sterilized and sold into prostitution for Chinese use, all Japanese children sterilized and used as Chinese slaves.

However, a Chinese General touting their plan, after touring Nagasaki and Hiroshima remarked, “You Americans do good work.” - from The Rape of Nanking.

[JoeFromSidney]

Japan will eventually have nukes, one way or another. So will South Korea. So will Taiwan.

However, I'm dubious about those numbers for quantities of plutonium. I suspect most of that is reactor grade, not weapons grade. If it is weapons grade, then they set out, long ago, and at considerable extra expense, to start a nuclear weapons program.