Japan's plutonium policy

Japan is trying to match its economic power with political influence. Current Japanese nuclear policy is committed to expansion not only in fuel facilities but in electric power generation, from about 25% from nuclear now to 40% by the year 2000. Japan is building its own reprocessing plant, a uranium enrichment facility and a low level waste shallow burial facility. It also has nuclear exports in Indonesia, Taiwan and Thailand. The purpose of Japan's stockpile of plutonium is not clear. Although officially the stocks will only be maintained at levels necessary for the future reactor programme, it is suggested that if North and South Korea join China as nuclear weapon states Japan would want to develop her own nuclear weapon capability. (UK)