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January 7, 2015

Govt. to carefully handle nuclear pact with India

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/nuclear.html

Jan. 7, 2016 - Updated 22:08 UTC+1

The Japanese government will not seek the approval of a nuclear power pact with India at the current Diet session. It cites the need for careful bilateral coordination.

Japan's Vice Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki and India's Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar met in Tokyo on Thursday. They discussed procedures to conclude a nuclear pact.

Last month, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, agreed in principle to conclude a pact that would allow Japan to export its nuclear power-related technology to India.

The mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have expressed regret over the deal. They say India held nuclear tests in the past and is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
A senior Foreign Ministry official says the content of a pact must be firm enough to get through expected rigorous debate at the Diet. Parliamentary approval is needed for concluding the deal.

Other government officials have expressed the desire not to proceed hastily with the deal ahead of an Upper House election this summer.