Japanese Nuclear Program

 

            Nuclear power plants are used around the world in order to produce electricity. Nowadays, about 31 countries have 439 nuclear power stations. The United States of America produce 20% of electricity using the plants, France – 80%, EU and Japan – 30%.

            The idea to use atom energy for peaceful aims became real in 1950 when USA started “Atom For Peace” program. The main supporter of it was Japan that, first of all, was an ally of the US; secondly, this East Asian country has limited natural resources in order to produce electricity. As a result, in 1954 Japan started nuclear research program.

            1^st commercial nuclear reactor was imported form the UK.   Nevertheless, a large-scale construction was started in only 1970-1980 because of very high oil price. Finally, it led to fast growing of Japanese industry.

At the present time, Japan has had 55 nuclear power stations that produce 30% of their electricity. Moreover, in May 2008, it will be started The Rokkasho Nuclear Waste Reprocessing Plant at Aomori city. It was constructed with the assistance of France. It is the 1^st Japanese plant to extract plutonium and uranium from spent nuclear fuel and then Japan can reused them as fuel at nuclear power stations to produce electricity.  This nuclear reprocessing plant is able to produce 800 tons of plutonium per year.

Nevertheless, according to Greenpeace, reprocessing plants have some disadvantages such as emission of nuclear waste into the air and sea, radioactive materials can cause leukemia and cancer for the staff of the plant, and reprocessed plutonium can be used to produce nuclear bomb because it classified by IAEA as “nuclear weapons usable material”.

            But Japanese constitution absolutely prohibited using extracted plutonium for production of nuclear bomb and the International Atomic Energy Agency inspects all Japanese nuclear objects every year.  However, it is known that plutonium is usable for 24,000 year and uranium for 760 million years. Moreover, Japan has 25 tons of uranium, 5 of them located in the country and 43 tons of plutonium. In order to produce 1 nuclear bomb, it is needed about 8 kilograms of plutonium. As a result, if at the present time constitution of Japan prohibits creation of nuclear weapon, in thousands years Japan can change its policy and easy become nuclear threat.

 

Japanese Whaling

 

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) was founded in 1946. It is the main organ that regulates whaling in order to save whale stock population to develop the whaling industry. In 1972 the UN Conference on the Human Environment passed a 10- year moratorium on commercial whaling. And in 1982, the IWC also adopted it but without the suggestion of the Scientific Commission that stated that moratorium was not necessary.

             Whaling issue divides countries 75 countries that are the members of the IWC on 2 blocs one of them is for whaling (34 states) and another is against (40 countries). States that support whaling industry include Japan, Norway, Iceland, Russia, and the U.S. (only Alaskan Eskimos). Anti-whaling countries are the U.S., the U.K., France, Australia, Switzerland, Monaco, New Zealand, etc.

            The issue concerned Japanese whaling was started after the adoption of moratorium by the IWC. Japan, Norway, and Iceland protested it. Nevertheless, Japan was forced to accept the whaling prohibition under the USA pressure. The U.S. threatened Japan to execute the Packwood-Magnuson Amendment that forbids fishing within the U.S. 200-mile coastal zone. Finally, it could have led to big Japanese losses: $650 million fishing industry and $40 billion trade with the U.S.

            Nevertheless, in 1988, the USA did not keep its promise and fulfilled the amendment on Japan. And Japan could not do anything because of Japan-U.S. Security Treaty. According to it USA guarantees to protect Japan in case of war attack.

             As a result, Japan started to practice scientific whaling in the Antarctic Ocean since 1988. It is not forbidden by the IWC.

            Japan insists on the renewal of whaling industry, especially for its country, because Japan has practiced whaling since 10,000 BC. Moreover, Buddhism religion until the middle of the 19^thcentury did not allow eating “4-legged animals”. Furthermore, scientific whaling that Japan practices aiming to identify population of whales in order to resume whaling and cutting open of the whale stomach in order to investigate its content is the most appropriate method. Moreover, the IWC does not prohibit it. And all collected data submitted to the IWC every year. Whale meat is sold only within country.

            Anti-whaling nations such as the U.S. consider that whales are very developed and intelligence animals and it is very cruel to kill them. Moreover, these states insist that whales are endangerous species and should be saved. It is interesting that such position was formed in 1960s when petroleum products substituted the whale oil. Oil of whales had been used since the 18^th century until 1960s. Mostly, it was used as machine and lamp oil. It helped to develop machine industry. As a result, by the WW II many types of whale in the Antarctic Ocean were on the verge of disappearance.

            There are some controversies; Japan wants to hunt 900-950 Minke and 50 Fin whales. Minke population is equal 900,000 and   Fin population – 40,000-50,000. At the same time, USA permits the Alaskan Eskimos to catch 67 Bowhead whales a year. Quantity of this type is equal to 10,000. Moreover, the Scientific Commission absolutely prohibits hunting on Bowhead whales. Furthermore, according to BBC, Fin whales (40,000-50,000) are endangerous, and Bowhead whales (10,000) are not. It is very interesting that the Secretary of the IWC, Dr. Ray Gambell argues that whaling on Minke whales is possible. But the IWC prohibits commercial whaling for this stock.

 

USA Troops in Japan

 

 

            American troops laid out in Japan after WW II in 1945. And in 1951, it was signed U.S.-Japan Security Treaty. The 1^st article of the treaty gives USA right to locate land, air, and sea forces on Japanese territory and around it. In exchange for it, USA guarantees to protect Japan in case of war, maintain peace and stability in Asian-Pacific Region. Moreover, in 1952 Japan and USA signed administrative agreement, according to it, U.S. soldiers were exempted from Japanese laws. But in 1995, because of big rape scandal connected with U.S. troops, this agreement was abolished.

            Nowadays, Japan has 94 U.S. military bases and 47,000 U.S. soldiers. The official goal of their presence is to maintain peace and stability on Far East. It is the biggest Pentagon military Forces in the Asian-Pacific Region and 2^nd biggest USA army forces in the world after NATO forces in Germany.

The main U.S. bases are located in Hokkaido and Honshu: Misawas, Tatikawa, and Asui. These bases have F-16 aircrafts that are capable to carry nuclear weapon. Okinawa also has military aviation, F-15 aircrafts. Moreover, this island has very strategic location because it 600 km away from Taiwan, 800 km- China, 1500 km- Korean Peninsula, and 500 km – Japan. It played one of the main roles in Vietnam War.

            In 1995, 3 U.S. soldiers from Okinawa were involved in a big rape scandal. They were accused in raping of 12-year –old Japanese girl. As a result, it led to demonstration. 80,000 people participated in it.  The main goal was to achieving of withdrawal of the U.S. troops from Japan. Finally, 3 U.S. soldiers were jailed to 6-7 years.

In February 2008, Japanese media again published information about rape case. On this occasion, a U.S. marine was accused in rapping of 14-year-old Japanese girl. However, he was released because girl’s family dropped the case against him.  Moreover, it happened February 28, after 2 days visit of the U.S. State Secretary Condoleezza Rice to Japan.

 

 

North Korean Nuclear Program

 

 

North Korea has uranium mines that content about 4 million tons of high-quality uranium ore. In the mid – 1960s, it was founded the Atomic Energy Research Complex in Yongbyon. The main specialists were Korean student who were trained in the USSR. In 1965, North Korea received it 1^stnuclear reactor from the Soviet Union. In 1977, the DPRK signed an agreement with the IAEA that allowed inspecting a research reactor.

Nuclear Weapon Program was started in 1980s. It was constructed 200 MWE nuclear reactor and nuclear reprocessing facilities in Taechon and Yongbyon. And in 1985, North Korea joined to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Moreover, in 1991, North and South Korea signed the Agreement on Reconciliation, Non-Aggression, Exchanges and Cooperation and the Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

        January 1993, ignoring all agreement, North Korea refused the IAEA to conduct inspection of nuclear reprocessing facilities. March 12, 1993, North Korea attempted to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. As a result, May 11, 1993, the UN Security Council urged the DPRK to cooperate with the IAEA.

        There were several U.S.- North Korea talks in June 1993, July 14-19,1993 in Geneva and June 1994 in Pyongyang. As a result, it was signed the Agreement Framework. According to it, North Korea would close its nuclear program if Pyongyang will be provided with oil and 2 light-water reactors to produce electricity. Moreover, North Korea wants to improve U.S.-North Korea relations and start of North-South negotiations.

        Nevertheless, Pyongyang did not stop its nuclear program and continued to extract plutonium. Nowadays, it can have 5-12 nuclear bombs [2007,IAEA].

        In 2003, North Korea withdrew from the Non-Proliferation Treaty. As a result, it was started Six-Party talks that include such countries as China, South Korea, North Korea, USA, Russia and Japan. The main points of these talks are security guarantees of USA to North Korea, the construction of Light Water Reactors, peaceful uses of nuclear energy, diplomatic relations, abolishing of financial restriction and trade normalization, verifiable and irreversible disarmament. Finally, the DPRK agreed to provide a complete and correct declaration of all its nuclear programs and disable all nuclear facilities by December 31, 2007. Also, it was guaranteed to provide one million tons of fuel oil to the North Korea. 100,000 tons of oil has already delivered. Furthermore, Pyongyang has stopped its nuclear reactor in Yongbyon.

        Nevertheless, agreements had not been realized by December 31, 2007 because North Korea firstly wants to receive promised oil shipments and be removed from Washington’s list of states sponsored terrorism. But USA waits closing of its nuclear program.

 

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