Japan, Singapore Sign Nuclear Nonproliferation Pact

Japanese and Singapore today signed a bilateral agreement designed to stop nuclear weapons-related materials from being transferred from those nations to “countries of concern,” the Associated Press reported (see GSN, April 19).

“Procurement activities by countries of concern have not lessened and indeed are becoming more and more cunning,” said Atsuo Shibota, an official from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, speaking in Singapore.

While Shibota declined to name any suspect countries, North Korea’s nuclear programs and allegations that Pyongyang is trafficking heroin and other illegal drugs to fund those efforts are a major issue for Japan, AP reported.

Japan and Singapore pledged to inform one another of suspicious companies that could be involved in the nuclear trade and to share information on “specifications of controlled items and technologies,” according to a joint statement.

Shibota said Japan is interested in signing a similar agreement with Hong Kong (Yeoh En-Lai, Associated Press/NineMSN, April 22).

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