Japan warns India against nuclear tests

Japan's foreign minister warned India on Saturday against conducting any new nuclear tests, saying such a move would force a halt to any civilian nuclear cooperation between the two countries.

The warning came a day after India's cabinet approved a long-delayed draft law that will clear the way for foreign nuclear groups to build reactors in the $150 billion Indian atomic energy market.

Before concluding his two-day visit to India, Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said any civilian nuclear deal between the two countries needed a clause to define how Tokyo would respond to any nuclear test by New Delhi.

"Japan will have no option but to suspend our cooperation" in the event of a nuclear test by India, Okada said at a news conference in New Delhi

The two countries launched talks in June on signing an atomic civilian-cooperation agreement that will allow Japan to export nuclear power-generation technology and related equipment to India.

However, survivors of the World War II atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the US have opposed the move, as India has developed nuclear arms without signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Regarding Okada's remarks, Indian Foreign Minister Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna said at the joint news conference that "negotiations will continue quickly and we will jointly work toward a good agreement, which will result in a 'win-win' for both India and Japan."

The Indian government said there was no deadline for signing the agreement. Earlier reports had said the deal was expected to be signed next month.

Japan is the sixth-largest foreign investor in India, and two-way trade totals more than $12 billion.

After leaving India, Okada was slated to travel to Thailand for talks with Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and other senior leaders Monday.

AFP