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Japan split over nuclear armament ban
Published: 06 August, 2009, 00:38
Edited: 02 August, 2010, 12:56
Paper lanterns float in the Motoyasu River in Hiroshima on August 6, 2009. AFP PHOTO/Kazuhiro Nogi
(6.7Mb) embed videoTAGS: Anniversary, Arms, Conflict, Military, Nuclear, Asia, USA
America’s dropping of two nuclear bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 64 years ago contributed to Japan's non-nuclear weapons policy. But calls are growing in Japan to rethink the anti-nuclear stance.
On August 6, 1945, the United States used a massive atomic weapon against Japan, devastating the city of Hiroshima. Some 140,000 people were killed, including those who died after the attack from radiation-linked illnesses. Another atomic bomb, dropped three days later over the city of Nagasaki, killed about 74,000 by the end of year.
 The devastated city of Hiroshima three years after the atomic bomb was dropped by a US Air Force B-29, 06 August 1945. / AFP Photo |
“Hiroshima and Nagasaki have created a very strong anti-nuclear attitude among the Japanese for generations," said Aleksandr Koldobsky of the National Research Nuclear University. "They’ve realized that the best way to avoid such tragedies is to reject nuclear weapons.”
But in recent years Japanese politicians have been going more and more public in questioning the policy. North Korea’s nuclear test in May only fuelled the debate.
“A view is growing that if North Korea goes further in its nuclear ambitions, Japan may consider having nuclear weapons," said Viktor Pavlyatenko, a senior scientist at the Institute of Far Eastern Studies. "And compared to previous decades, public opinion has become more favorable to the idea.”
Tokyo has repeatedly indicated that it has no intention of dropping its traditional defense strategy. But it's increasingly looking to ease its universal ban on weapons exports that would allow Japanese companies to join international weapons development programs.
“Japan is looking for a new role – from becoming a bigger regional and international player to having a new constitution that for more than 60 years has been perceived as American-written,” said Pavlyatenko.
For now Japan’s future looks free of nuclear weapons, but as the country marks the tragic anniversary, the debate on whether the country should stay the course is firmly underway.
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August 06, 2009, 13:48, anthony wrote QUOTE (5) ...what happened to the innocent people of PEARL HARBOR? (2) ...no nuclear bomb was used but surprise attack killing so many... (3) ...which prevoked the nuclear bombing to happen in the first place. (4) To join with the germany nazi's against all others was terrorism as well. (5) Joining the side of the mass killing of innocent people with gassing, slavery, starving people, killing people way over the millions is even worse then what usa did. (6) but joining hitler and helping him kill innocent people has a big factor on the bombs being delivered to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. UNQUOTE Just a few issues in your posting: I've numbered them. (1) Soldiers are neither civilians nor bystanders; when you don a uniform, you undertake to put your life on the line. (2) Declassified documents show that US sigint had intercepted a wire from Tokyo to the Japanese ambassador in Washington instructing him to announce a war declaration. Secretary of State therefore kept the Japanese ambassador for over two hours in order to keep him from presenting the declaration of war until after the attack had taken place. (3) The nuclear bombings were only needed to (a) get a battlefield assessment of its effects and (2) to scare Stalin away from any plans he might have add to overrun Western Europe after the fall of Berlin a few months earlier. By early 1945, Japan on its knees and hardly had any aviation fuel for its air force. (4) It was Germany that allied itself with Japan, not the other way around. Moreover, terrorism is the use of fear to secure a political end. In World War II, terrorism was not the principal tool of any side. (5) History is written by the winners, as Pliny used to say. Germany killed six million Jews in Europe, and the USA, four million in Vietnam. Chalk up the dead in Laos and Cambodia and you'll see both know how to play in the big league. And then if you have time, google up Prescott Bush...
In order to fight terrorism you should not become a terrorist, never. USA has now done terrorism in order to fight it, that means USA will loose simpathy over it's fight. And not only that, for who wants to befriend terrorists unless oneself is a terrorist? The so called "war on terror" is only a dogfight between rival murderous dogs. If you don't want to get bitten, don't interfere?
If you wrote an arltcie about life we'd all reach enlightenment.