As Japan prepares to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it has amassed 45 tons of plutonium, and is embarking on opening one of the world's largest plutonium enrichment plants, reported British "The Independent" on July 31.

Japan likely to violate "three non-nuclear principles"

Survivors fear the country's long-standing taboo against developing nuclear weapons will come to an end.

The survivors expressed their anxiety over the Japanese government's departure from the taboo against developing "three non-nuclear principles".

"I have never been more afraid about the future than I am now," said Ms. Michiko Yamaoka, one of the survivors. "I don't trust the politicians in Tokyo to safeguard our anti-nuclear stance. They should all come here and experience what we did." Ms. Yamaoka was fifteen years old when the "Little Boy" bomb exploded as she walked from her house into Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, disfiguring her for life. Three days later, Nagasaki was bombed by the "Fat Man", which contained five kilograms of plutonium. Half of the 310, 000 people in Hiroshima died after the explosion within several years. Six decades on, however, Japan has amassed 45 tons of plutonium.

Although Japan said it will adhere to the "three non-nuclear principles", it has allowed US vessels equipped with nuclear weapons to dock in Japanese ports. Decades ago, the Japanese government secretly approved feasibility investigations into the development of the nuclear weapons.

Japan has built uranium enrichment plants

In December 1967, the then Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato put forward the three non-nuclear principles for the first time: the official policy is that Japan will not "manufacture or possess nuclear weapons or allow their introduction into the country." Sato was awarded Nobel Peace Prize' in 1974 because of this.

However, he secretly commissioned a Japan's cabinet survey office to conduct feasibility investigations. The office submitted two reports accordingly.

Thirty years after that, the Japanese government has openly and repeatedly expressed that it will abide by the principles, however, it has gradually made "nuclear breakthrough" behind the curtain. In spite of strong opposition from the nationals, the Japanese government has forced its way towards the imports of plutonium from Europe and established uranium enrichment plants.

In recent years, politicians have been more boldly challenging the principles. Ichiro Ozawa said in early 2002: "We have plenty of plutonium in our nuclear power plants, so it's possible for us to produce 3,000 to 4,000 nuclear warheads." In May of the same year, Japan's chief cabinet secretary Yasuo Fukuda, claimed Japan's "pacifist" constitution did not prohibit nuclear weapons.

By People's Daily Online