Japan's Nuclear Future: Policy Debate, Prospects, and U.S. Interests

Chanlett-Avery, Emma ; Nikitin, Mary Beth

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.

关键词: Foreign relations -- Japan -- U.S.;    Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Japan;    Nuclear weapons;    Nuclear nonproliferation;    Foreign policy;   

RP-ID  :  RL34487
RP-ID  :  RL34487_2008May09

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

This paper examines the prospects for Japan pursuing a nuclear weapons capability by assessing the existing technical infrastructure of its extensive civilian nuclear energy program. It explores the range of challenges that Japan would have to overcome to transform its current program into a military program. In addition, a range of legal and political restraints on Japan's development of nuclear weapons, including averse public and elite opinion, restrictive domestic laws and practices, and the negative diplomatic consequences of abandoning its traditional approach is analyzed.