EDITORIAL: Nuclear talks with India

Japan's anti-nuclear weapons efforts include refusing to let any actions that nullify the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) go by unchecked and fortifying the NPT and other relevant agreements to further nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation.

These efforts must be considered rock solid before Japan can make a strong case against North Korea's disregard for the NPT or Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program.

But the Kan government did a major policy turnaround without fully explaining the move to the public.

The government decided to enter negotiations with India, a nuclear power that has not signed the NPT, toward a nuclear cooperation agreement that will allow Japan to export nuclear energy-related equipment to India.

The first round of talks started Monday in Tokyo.

India's development is amazing. Among the Group of 20 countries and regions, India and China command a leading presence among the emerging countries.

There is no doubt that relations between Japan and India will increase in importance concerning Japan's economic growth and Asia's regional security.

Nuclear cooperation with India will mean fresh business opportunities for Japan's nuclear industry. It will also have certain positive effects against global warming.

However, no matter how many positive elements one points to, there is no erasing the negatives.

If Japan enters negotiations for an agreement with India, then a foreign policy strategy that will generate positive results for global nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation will also be needed.

If Kan fails to come up with such a strategy, then his promise in his policy speech at the Diet to take leadership toward a "world without nuclear weapons" will be empty.

The fundamental rule of the international community is to not cooperate in the peaceful use of nuclear energy with nonsignatories of the NPT.

However, the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) accorded India "an exceptional status" in 2008 at the behest of the George W. Bush administration. The United States, France and Russia followed this decision by signing an agreement with India.

Some in the Japanese government say Japan will fall behind the international community without an agreement with India, and that negotiations are long overdue.

However, if Japan should act as if it accepts India's nuclear test, then other countries may increasingly think that they would be better off disregarding the NPT and developing their own nuclear weapons.

Japan also supported the NSG decision of two years ago. At the time, Japan's position was that if India should resume its nuclear tests, then the "exceptional status" should be suspended and other countries should end their nuclear cooperation with the country.

If Kan is going to throw away this position in the latest talks, then Japan will lose all credibility in the realm of non-nuclear diplomacy.

At the time of the NSG decision, Japan urged India to take responsible actions toward a stronger international nonproliferation regime.

To progress toward a nuclear-free world, a forum should be set up for all countries with nuclear power to negotiate disarmament and nonproliferation. The agenda for Japan's diplomacy is to pull India toward that direction, but how does Japan intend to do this?

Prime Minister Kan has a responsibility to make a clear explanation to the public.

--The Asahi Shimbun, June 28