http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061225/ap_on_...clear_weapons_6

TOKYO - The Japanese government recently looked into the possibility of developing a nuclear warhead, a news report said Monday, citing an internal government document.

Yasuhisa Shiozaki, the government's top spokesman, however, denied any knowledge of such a document.

The Japanese daily Sankei reported that experts at several government organizations concluded it would take at least three to five years to make a prototype weapon.

The experts also estimated that the project would cost about $1.68 billion to $2.52 billion and require the efforts of several hundred engineers, according to Sankei.

The experts did not say whether Japan should develop nuclear arms, the newspaper reported, only what such a project would require. The newspaper published a summary of the document, dated Sept 20 and titled "On the Possibility of Developing Nuclear Weapons Domestically."

"The government is not aware of such a document," Shiozaki told reporters at a regular news conference.

As the only country ever attacked with atomic weapons, Japan for decades has adhered to a strict policy of not possessing or developing nuclear weapons, and not allowing their introduction onto Japanese territory.

This stance, however, has become a subject for discussion since North Korea conducted its first nuclear test on Oct. 9, causing deep concern in Japan. Just months prior to North Korea's nuclear test, it test-fired several ballistic missiles capable of hitting Japan.

Several politicians have suggested Japan should at least debate starting a nuclear weapons program following the North Korean test.

The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said the country's pacifist Constitution does not ban it from possessing nuclear weapons for self-defense. But the government stressed that Japan would stick to its policy of forbidding nuclear weapons on Japanese soil.

Japan's huge plutonium stockpile from its nuclear power stations is a major international concern, partly because that stockpile could be a target of terror attacks or be used to build nuclear arms.

Officials at the Defense Agency could not immediately comment on the report early Monday.

I thought Japan would never develop nuclear weapons....I mean they were the only country in the world to have gotten nuked afterall

eh i could careless. every dies in the end anyway.

japan can force US's hand.

develop nukes, US will withdraw its defence force. japan would have a right to defend it self by military build up. and the military with its supreme propaganda power will increase morale somehow. in the end its all fine for japan. either way hands all over the table are being forced. china, russia, korea the US, UN. its a big cluster fuk.

It is no secret Japan has looked at the nuke option. It has done it many times before. Yasuo Fukuda has made numerous remarks back in 2002 regarding Japan accquring nuclear weapons.

sigh... seeing this... all the whole world will be destroyed by nuclears soon

Japan is very capable of developing nukes if they want to. The major obstacles are the international perception and the US interferece. I doubt the US will lash out Japan with nukes. It's illogical.

japan with nukes? scary thoughts. china will pee in her pants? lol

Whats the big deal with Japan having nukes? Let them.

so far your extremely on Japan's side haha

Japan's government has not learned from WW2. And why should they get nukes? They are under usa's nuclear umbrella. Japan's government just has penis envy because China and USA has nukes.

Classic

japanese are good at producing superior products than their rivals. look at cars, electronics..etc. japanese probably will make better nukes than their rivals too.

Well I would hope so they were the only ones that got a first hand glimpse of its destruction up close and personal

Geography alone will never allow Japan to emerge victorious in any nuclear confrontation with another power.

is that why japanese are good at sex? they also got their experience from you know what during WWII?

And the fact that they run pornos in broad daylight and then retelevise it on daytime television as some sort of raunchy gameshow probably has nothing to do with that right??? Get out of here you little japanophile your probably some guy named kirk whos 45 and lives in texas but daydreams all day long about japanese culture and anime conventions ease off and come back when you get a brain.

don't fall for his flamebait. I already reported him.

Lol yeah I know.

you made some stupid comment about japanese getting nuked during WWII. now you can't take it when someone shot back? haha. so typical.

...troll