Posted on 01/26/2014 6:24:38 PM PST by TigerLikesRooster
US presses Japan to hand back 300 kg of plutonium
IANS | Tokyo January 27, 2014 Last Updated at 04:34 IST
Japan's key ally the US has been pressing the country to return more than 300 kg of mostly weapon-grade plutonium that it exported to Japan for research purposes during the Cold War era, media reported.
The plutonium that is stored at a fast critical assembly in Tokaimura in Japan's Ibaraki prefecture could be used to produce 40-50 nuclear weapons, reported Japan's Kyodo News, citing unnamed Japanese and US government officials, according to Xinhua.
Japan has strongly resisted the demand raised by US President Barack Obama's administration, but it finally gave in to repeated demands, Kyodo said.
The two countries since last year have been seriously discussing the issue as the US plans to reach an accord with Japan at the third nuclear security summit in March in the Netherlands, according to the report.
The fast critical assembly belonging to the Japan Atomic Energy Agency is the country's only critical assembly designed to study characteristics of fast reactors.
The Japanese ministry of education, culture, sports, science and technology and other researchers have argued that the plutonium in question is needed for research and vital for producing good data, said Kyodo.
At present, Japan has another estimated 44 tonnes of plutonium, but its quality is not on par with the plutonium used for research purposes, Kyodo quoted a Japanese expert as saying.
They’re already placed in warheads.
I have a feeling they’ll be delivered to NoKo one warhead at a time before Barry see them.
I was thinking the very same thing :-)
Molon Labe, Barry.
If I were Obozo I would be careful about pushing the Japanese to return the nuclear makings, if Pearl is any indication, Obozo might not like the way they choose to return it.
Japan’s response:
“Okay. As soon as you return all of Germany’s gold.”
Sounds good, doesn’t it?
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LOL Now THAT’s funny!
The plutonium that is stored at a fast critical assembly in Tokaimura in Japan’s Ibaraki prefecture could be used to produce 40-50 nuclear weapons>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
And why shouldn’t it be done? Obama has no intention of protecting Japan from China or North Korea.The Japanese know they are on their own, Obama has more or less betrayed every US ally during his 5 years in office.
Another way to say it:
Japan: “Okay, we’ll return the plutonium... to be delivered 7 years from today”.
Agree to give it back, but after January 2017. Let a new regime be in place, not Obama.
And Pakistan and North Korea and maybe even Saudi Arabia.
I suspect this is a pro-China move.
Excellent comment. Being an enemy pays big dividends during this regime.
I guess the Japanese aren’t Muslim terrorists.
Yeah, but floating it back in Pacific currents one atom at a time probably wasn’t what the Administration had in mind. :)
That Plutonium has probably already been used by Japan to make parts that when assembled are working nuclear weapons. Japan is next to two dangerous nuclear powers, Red China & North Korea, and needs the ability to respond to an attack in a credible manner. Due to Japan’s WWII history, the country does not want to be known as a nuclear power, but having readily assembled parts is a prudent step. Israel denies having the A-bomb, but can have working nuclear weapons about as soon as it takes to hang one on a jet fighter-bomber.
As the article notes, Japan has 44 tons (roughly,nobody knows for sure) of plutonium and all the technology it needs to build warheads. I doubt they are worried too much about this particular shipment, but it might be embarrassing to admit it’s been installed in warheads already.
My first thought as well.
Agreed.
If there were no other reason than not doing it because Barry wanted it, that would be good enough for me.
We have complete jackarses running the country. They reward our enemies and penalize our friends. You don’t keep friends that way.
The ONLY reason Zero would not like Japan returning our nukes that way, is it would ruin his vacation spot.
Now if they returned them to the main land, he couldn't contain his joy.
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