WASHINGTON —

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told his Japanese counterpart Hirofumi Nakasone when they met last month that China is carefully watching the debate in Japan on whether the country should promote discussions about possibly possessing nuclear weapons, sources close to U.S.-China relations have said. Yang mentioned the emergence of such debate in Japan during his June 7 meeting in Tokyo with Nakasone when the Chinese minister said peace and stability are important in Northeast Asia, while adding that Beijing is firmly against North Korea testing or possessing nuclear weapons, the sources said.
   
In Tokyo, former Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa suggested after North Korea’s April 5 rocket launch, suspected as a test for long-range ballistic missile technologies, that Japan should promote discussions on the possibility of possessing nuclear weapons. A draft of Japan’s new defense policy guidelines covering fiscal 2010 through 2014 calls for the reinforcement of defense personnel and equipment in view of mounting concerns over North Korea’s nuclear tests as well as the rise of China as a major military power. The draft also alludes to Tokyo’s intention to consider whether it should be capable of striking enemy bases. Japan’s pacifist Constitution limits its military to defensive operations. Referring to the Yang-Nakasone talks, Japanese government sources said it must have been the first time that China has mentioned such ‘‘nuclear debate’’ within Japan in ministerial-level talks.

Kyodo

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10 Comments

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  OssanAmerica at 11:44 AM JST - 4th July

  Of course Mr Yang presumably understands that there are only two reasons for such a debate to even take place in Japan today - one being China's own nuclear armed military and two- China's failure to contain North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

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  mushroomcloud at 01:12 AM JST - 5th July

  Another reason behind the debate is that Japan wants to show that she is not readily prepared to cede geopolitical influence to China, which of course includes the possession of nuclear weapons. This is despite what critics are saying:

  "For most of the Cold War, the Seventh Fleet protected Taiwan and kept the peace in Asia. Today, Taiwan is seeking closer ties with China, and Japan is preparing itself to cede geopolitical leadership to China."

  http://www.newsweek.com/id/204230?from=rss

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  OssanAmerica at 02:03 AM JST - 5th July

  "For most of the Cold War, the Seventh Fleet protected Taiwan and kept >the peace in Asia. Today, Taiwan is seeking closer ties with China, and >Japan is preparing itself to cede geopolitical leadership to China."

  Personally, I find the above view outdated. Geopolitics are closely tied to economics and just aboout any view held prior to the end of 2008 is no longer current.

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  mushroomcloud at 02:22 AM JST - 5th July

  The above view was extracted from a Newsweek article, dated June 27, 2009.

  From the

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  mushroomcloud at 02:24 AM JST - 5th July

  Sorry,

  To complete, from the magazine issue dated July 13, 2009.

  It's as current as July 4th.

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  dragonczar at 11:14 AM JST - 5th July

  Those debate in Japan reflected Japan's defnse policy was completely handicapped,she has no where to pick up a fight over nucleara nd she shall never ever dared,Nakagawa was a loser he speaks out witjhout considering and his remarks shall never be serious.

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  dragonczar at 11:17 AM JST - 5th July

  China shall never explaining why she needs to boost up nuclear arsenals to Japan, that was complelety unnecessary from China's point of view but Japan has to explain those debate of nuclear capability to China, thats the facts now going on.

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  dragonczar at 11:21 AM JST - 5th July

  Japan needs China,she has no where dared to challenge China over nuclear matchup,she knows the consequences of annoying China if sshe goes nyclear armed! Those debates in Japan reflected her paranoid and influences over international arena!

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  dragonczar at 11:23 AM JST - 5th July

  China is carefully watching the debate in Japan

  That means big brother is watching you.....

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  mushroomcloud at 11:13 PM JST - 5th July

  Through it all, Japan should feel a sense of ease at being comfortably under the US nuclear umbrella.

  Any thoughts of going nuclear will have to be supported by the will of the Japanese people. Unfortunately, with the permanent scar of being the only nation nuked twice, it is highly improbable that Japan's populace would approve of the indigenous production of nuclear arms.

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