DATE=5/29/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232972
TITLE=JAPAN / PAKISTAN / NUKE / REACT (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=THOMAS CALDWELL
DATELINE=TOKYO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PUBLIC AND GOVERNMENT INDIGNATION OVER PAKISTAN'S
DECISION TO TEST NUCLEAR WEAPONS IS CONTINUING TO BE HEARD IN
JAPAN. AND, AS THOMAS CALDWELL REPORTS FROM TOKYO, THE JAPANESE
GOVERNMENT HAS GONE AHEAD WITH ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST
ISLAMABAD.
TEXT: THE JAPANESE WERE NOT SURPRISED THAT PAKISTAN DECIDED TO
PROCEED WITH THE TESTING OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. BUT THE GOVERNMENT
OF PRIME MINISTER RYUTARO HASHIMOTO HAD HELD OUT HOPE THAT THE
GOVERNMENT OF NAWAZ SHARIF WOULD SHOW RESTRAINT.
FOLLOWING A MEETING WITH HIS FOREIGN MINISTER, MR. HASHIMOTO
FORMALLY ANNOUNCED ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST PAKISTAN THAT ARE
ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THOSE IMPOSED ON INDIA EARLIER THIS MONTH.
JAPAN WILL FREEZE ALL AID FOR NEW PROJECTS EXCEPT FOR THOSE
DEEMED EMERGENCY AND HUMANITARIAN. YEN LOANS TO PAKISTAN WILL BE
FROZEN. THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT WILL ALSO EXAMINE THE LOAN
PROGRAMS OPERATED BY INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND DO
WHAT IT CAN TO PREVENT ANY TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN BE USED TO MAKE
WEAPONS OF MASS-DESTRUCTION FROM FINDING ITS WAY TO PAKISTAN .
MR. HASHIMOTO CALLED ON PAKISTAN TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE NUCLEAR
TESTING AND URGED THE COUNTRY, ALONG WITH INDIA, TO
UNCONDITIONALLY CONCLUDE THE NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY AND THE
COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN TREATY.
IN TOKYO, PROTESTERS STOOD IN FRONT OF PAKISTAN'S EMBASSY AND
HELD ALOFT BANNERS CONDEMNING THURSDAY'S TEST. AMONG THEM WAS
ICHO ITO, THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NAGASAKI. HE DELIVERED A
LETTER OF PROTEST TO THE EMBASSY, ALONG WITH SEVERAL PHOTOGRAPHS
TAKEN OF VICTIMS OF THE DESTRUCTION OF HIS CITY BY A U-S NUCLEAR
BOMB NEAR THE END OF WORLD WAR TWO.
MR. ITO TOLD REPORTERS THAT HE DELIVERED THE PHOTOGRAPHS BECAUSE
WORDS ALONE CANNOT CONVEY THE HORROR OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. HE ADDED
THAT NAGASAKI'S EXPERIENCE PROVED THAT PEOPLE AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS
CANNOT CO-EXIST.
THE MAYOR OF HIROSHIMA ALSO SENT A LETTER OF PROTEST TO THE
PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT. TAKASHI HIROAKA CALLED THE TESTS "AN
OUTRAGEOUS ACT" AND SAID THAT HE FEARS A HEATING UP OF TENSION IN
SOUTHWEST ASIA. HE CALLED UPON PAKISTAN NOT TO TEST ANY MORE
WEAPONS AND TO DO WHAT IT CAN TO REPAIR ITS RELATIONS WITH INDIA.
(SIGNED)
NEB/TC/FC
29-May-98 3:06 AM EDT (0706 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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