May 9, 2011
Both U.S. and Japanese government officials discussed ways to obscure whether the United States brings nuclear weapons into Japan or not.
WikiLeaks on May 7 put on its Internet site U.S. confidential cables regarding the Japanese government’s investigation of Japan-U.S. secret agreement on nuclear weapons.
A cable dated November 27, 2009 was sent by James P. Zumwalt, charge d’affairs ad interim at the U.S. Embassy, after the discussion with Umemoto Kazuyoshi, North American Affairs Bureau Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, about the investigation.
The Democratic Party of Japan government under former Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio in September 2009 announced that it will investigate the Japan-U.S. secret agreement allowing the bringing of U.S. nuclear weapons into Japan. On November 27, the government set up a committee of experts, which released the report on the investigation in March 2010.
In the cable, Zumwalt said to Umemoto, “[A]n important element of U.S. deterrence strategy is to maintain ambiguity with regard to the presence or absence of nuclear arms on U.S. Navy vessels”, and added that U.S. Ambassador to Japan John V. Roos was also concerned about the investigation.
Expressing his concern, Umemoto said, “[T]he current political leadership did not understand the possible implications of the ‘secret agreement’ investigation.”
In another cable dated February 4, 2010 which was sent just before the expert committee released its report, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell stressed the importance of “the ability of U.S. aircraft and ships to call at Japanese ports without needing to confirm or deny the presence of nuclear weapons.”
Niihara Shoji, an international affairs researcher, said, “U.S. confidential cables published by WikiLeaks on May 7 prove that the bringing of U.S. nuclear weapons into Japan is an ongoing issue.”
WikiLeaks on May 7 put on its Internet site U.S. confidential cables regarding the Japanese government’s investigation of Japan-U.S. secret agreement on nuclear weapons.
A cable dated November 27, 2009 was sent by James P. Zumwalt, charge d’affairs ad interim at the U.S. Embassy, after the discussion with Umemoto Kazuyoshi, North American Affairs Bureau Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, about the investigation.
The Democratic Party of Japan government under former Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio in September 2009 announced that it will investigate the Japan-U.S. secret agreement allowing the bringing of U.S. nuclear weapons into Japan. On November 27, the government set up a committee of experts, which released the report on the investigation in March 2010.
In the cable, Zumwalt said to Umemoto, “[A]n important element of U.S. deterrence strategy is to maintain ambiguity with regard to the presence or absence of nuclear arms on U.S. Navy vessels”, and added that U.S. Ambassador to Japan John V. Roos was also concerned about the investigation.
Expressing his concern, Umemoto said, “[T]he current political leadership did not understand the possible implications of the ‘secret agreement’ investigation.”
In another cable dated February 4, 2010 which was sent just before the expert committee released its report, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell stressed the importance of “the ability of U.S. aircraft and ships to call at Japanese ports without needing to confirm or deny the presence of nuclear weapons.”
Niihara Shoji, an international affairs researcher, said, “U.S. confidential cables published by WikiLeaks on May 7 prove that the bringing of U.S. nuclear weapons into Japan is an ongoing issue.”
