China Vows to Block Japan's N-Arms Possession at NPT Meeting

New York, April 29 (Jiji Press)--A Chinese diplomat pledged to "resolutely prevent Japan from acquiring nuclear weapons" at a review conference of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty on Wednesday, calling on the international community to "stay on high alert."

Japan "is pushing to revise its pacifist Constitution and three nonnuclear principles" and is seeking to deploy nuclear weapons on its territory by its allies, Sun Xiaobo, director-general of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Arms Control Department, said at the conference, being held at the U.N. headquarters in New York.

Another Chinese representative said that "the issue of Japan's pursuit of nuclear weapons has become a reality rather than a potential threat" since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office last autumn, "posing a serious challenge" to the post-World War II international order and a nuclear nonproliferation regime.

Tomiko Ichikawa, Japan's ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament, rebutted by saying that "the introduction of nuclear weapons (by Japan) is not permitted" under the three nonnuclear principles.

Ichikawa emphasized that "Japan has been limiting its research, development and use of nuclear energy exclusively for peaceful purposes."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]