Liberal Japan media blast clause allowing nuke weapon development

“This is a serious situation that is unacceptable. (The provision) should be removed by the next assembly.”

“This represents the conversion of the Democratic Party (of Japan).”

Progressive media in Japan blasted their government’s move to enable Tokyo to use nuclear power for military purposes and allow nuclear armament.

Japan`s leading daily Asahi Shimbun said in an editorial Friday, “The provision in question should be deleted by the next parliament because Japan could be suspected of seeking to develop nuclear weapons."

The paper also mentioned the deletion of a provision restricting the activities of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to peaceful purposes in an amendment to a law on aerospace research and development agency, saying “Revising science and technology laws, including those governing nuclear energy and space development that are closely linked with state policy, without holding public discussions is unacceptable.”

Another daily, the Tokyo Shimbun, added, “Originally, the Democratic Party (as opposed to conservatives) was liberal, but has converted recently.”

The paper criticized the revision of core provisions under the Basic Act on Nuclear Energy, a higher-level law, through by-laws of the Act on the Establishment of the Nuclear Regulatory Committee, a subordinate law, by calling it “the most exceptional.”

“The Democratic Party and the Liberal Democratic Party colluded to hide the intention of the revision. By revising the law without due process, they damaged the reputation of the legislature, “the newspaper said.

The Sankei Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun, which are considered conservative dailies, carried no reports on the matter for the second straight day Friday. Broadcasters including the state-run NHK merely carried briefs on the passage of the act by Japan’s Diet.

Separately, Tokyo reiterated that it had no intention of arming itself with nuclear weapons.

In a news conference following a Cabinet meeting Friday, Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yukio Edano said, “The government understands the revision in the context of a move to integrate the measures for guaranteeing (the ban on conversion of nuclear materials for military purposes) with the function of nuclear safety (designed to prevent nuclear terrorism) under the Nuclear Regulatory Committee. Since the legislature (lawmakers), the Cabinet, and the government have a clear and common interpretation of the move, there will be no excessive interpretation of the measure.”

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