DATE=5/12/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232045
TITLE= INDIA / NUCLEAR/ JAPAN REACT (L-ONLY) (CQ)
BYLINE=MATT SHEA
DATELINE=TOKYO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: JAPAN SAYS IT IS CONSIDERING ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST
INDIA IN RESPONSE TO NEW DELHI'S SURPRISE NUCLEAR TESTS ON
MONDAY. MATT SHEA REPORTS FROM TOKYO, THE TESTING COULD COST
INDIA NEARLY ONE BILLION DOLLARS IN FOREIGN AID, FROM JAPAN.
TEXT: JAPAN, THE ONLY NATION TO SUFFER THE EFFECTS OF NUCLEAR
BOMBS, ISSUED A STRONG CONDEMNATION TUESDAY OF INDIA'S THREE
UNDERGROUND TESTS, AND WARNED OF POSSIBLE SANCTIONS AGAINST NEW
DELHI.
PRIME MINISTER RYUTARO HASHIMOTO SAYS A PERSONAL LETTER WRITTEN
TWO MONTHS AGO, PLEADING WITH INDIA NOT TO RESUME TESTING, WAS
IGNORED. HE CALLS THE INDIAN TESTS "REGRETTABLE."
JAPANESE OFFICIALS URGED OTHER COUNTRIES, IN THE WORDS OF A
STATEMENT, TO "EXERCISE SELF-RESTRAINT IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE
INDIAN NUCLEAR TESTING FROM HARMING THE STABILITY OF THE REGION."
A FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL SAYS SANCTIONS AGAINST INDIA COULD
INCLUDE FREEZING LOANS PLEDGED FOR FISCAL 1997, WHICH ENDED ON
MARCH 31ST, BUT HAVE NOT YET BEEN PAID.
NINE-HUNDRED-NINETY-EIGHT-MILLION DOLLARS IN LOANS ARE STILL
OUTSTANDING FOR THE PERIOD. JAPAN HAS BEEN INDIA'S LARGEST AID
DONOR SINCE 1986 AND ALSO HAS CONSIDERABLE INVESTMENTS IN THE
COUNTRY, MOSTLY IN THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY.
A JAPANESE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAYS NUCLEAR TESTING RUNS COUNTER
TO THE PRINCIPLES IT TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION IN GRANTING FOREIGN
AID. JAPAN PUT A TEMPORARY FREEZE ON AID TO CHINA IN 1995, AFTER
BEIJING CONDUCTED NUCLEAR TESTS.
THE MAYORS OF WORLD WAR TWO ATOMIC BOMB TARGETS, HIROSHIMA AND
NAGASAKI, JOINED IN THE DENUNCIATION OF INDIA'S NUCLEAR TESTS.
NAGASAKI MAYOR ITCHO ITO CALLED THE TESTS AN OUTRAGE THAT RAVAGES
THE VICTIMS AND CITIZENS OF HIS CITY.
INDIA'S AMBASSADOR TO TOKYO WAS SUMMONED TO THE FOREIGN MINISTRY
TO HEAR JAPAN'S FORMAL PROTEST AND PRIME MINISTER HASHIMOTO SAYS
HE PLANS TO TAKE UP THE ISSUE OF ACTION AGAINST INDIA DURING THIS
WEEKEND'S SUMMIT TALKS IN BRITAIN BY THE WORLD'S LEADING
INDUSTRIAL POWERS. (SIGNED)
NEB/MS/FC/WTW
12-May-98 5:42 AM EDT (0942 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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