Japan minister's nuclear comments spark new row over security bills
Source: Reuters
Japan's defense minister triggered a new row over controversial security legislation on Wednesday when he said the bills under consideration by parliament would not rule out the military transporting the nuclear weapons of foreign forces.
Defence Minister Gen Nakatani, however, was quick to add that such a development was in reality impossible because of Japan's long-standing policy of not possessing or producing nuclear arms and not letting others bring them into the country.
Still, an opposition lawmaker immediately demanded that Nakatani apologize for the remarks, which came one day ahead of the 70th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
The remarks will likely give Prime Minister Shinzo Abe - who has already seen his ratings slip due to public doubts over the security bills - a fresh headache after his special adviser drew fire by saying the legislation did not need to be "legally consistent" with the pacifist constitution.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/05/us-japan-defence-idUSKCN0QA0OY20150805
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