Japan, US renew N-pact

Heatwave kills 14 over long weekend

TOKYO, July 17, (Agencies): Japan and the US have extended their nuclear pact as Tokyo pledged to work to reduce its plutonium stockpile to address Washington’s concern.

The 30-year pact agreed upon in 1988 has allowed Japan to extract plutonium and enrich uranium for peaceful uses even though the same technology can make atomic bombs.

Without either side requesting a review, the pact was extended Tuesday with an option by which it can be terminated by either side giving six months’ notice. The new condition, however, makes Japan’s nuclear program more susceptible to US policy.

Foreign Minister Taro Kono told reporters that Japan must reduce the stockpile to keep the pact in place stably.

Kono said the pact is the foundation of Japan’s nuclear industry and Japan must make concrete efforts to “reduce the large amount of plutonium” to eliminate any doubts and concerns about Japan’s plutonium program.

The pact originally began in 1955 when the US, under president Dwight Eisenhower’s “atoms for peace” policy, provided Japan with 6 kms (13 pounds) of enriched uranium for research. The amount has gradually expanded as Japan’s nuclear energy program developed, though Japan had to obtain US permission virtually on every step in the first 30-plus years. Japan was allowed more flexibility in running the program under the 1988 pact when Japan had less of a plutonium stockpile and plans for more consumption.

Japan has long denied any possible misuse of the material and reprocessing technology, but its failure to reduce the stockpile of weaponsgrade plutonium is forcing the country to show it’s taking concrete steps to do so, especially as the US wants North Korea to get rid of its nuclear weapons.

An intense heatwave killed at least 14 people over a three-day long weekend in Japan, media reported on Tuesday, and high temperatures hampered the recovery in flood-hit areas where more than 200 people died last week.

Temperatures on Monday, a national holiday, surged above 39 degrees Celsius (102.2 Fahrenheit) in some inland areas and combined with high humidity to produce dangerous conditions, the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.

At least 14 people died from the heat over the long weekend, media reports said, including a woman in her 90s who was found unconscious in a field. Thousands more were treated in hospitals for heat-related conditions.

The heat was most intense in landlocked areas such as Gifu prefecture, where it soared to 39.3 Celsius (102.7 F) in the town of Ibigawa on Monday — the hottest in the nation. The capital Tokyo recorded a high of 34 Celsius on Monday.