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Japan, Belgium and Italy reduce their stockpiles of nuclear material Japan, Belgium and Italy reduce their stockpiles of nuclear material
(35 minutes later)
Japan announced today that it would hand over hundreds of kilogrammes of weapons-grade plutonium and uranium to the United States for dilution and disposal, at the start of a global summit aimed at reducing the threat of nuclear terrorism. Japan announced on Monday that it would hand over hundreds of kilogrammes of weapons-grade plutonium and uranium to the United States for dilution and disposal, at the start of a global summit aimed at reducing the threat of nuclear terrorism.
Belgium and Italy also announced agreements with the US on the removal of surplus fissile material, as part of a continuing Washington-led effort to reduce global stockpiles and the number of sites around the world where they are stored.Belgium and Italy also announced agreements with the US on the removal of surplus fissile material, as part of a continuing Washington-led effort to reduce global stockpiles and the number of sites around the world where they are stored.
Under the agreement announced today, Japan will ship more than 300kg of plutonium and 200kg of highly enriched uranium (HEU) from its nuclear research site. The material would be enough to build about 40 nuclear warheads. Under the agreement, Japan will ship more than 300kg of plutonium and 200kg of highly enriched uranium (HEU) from its nuclear research site. The material would be enough to build about 40 nuclear warheads.
Japan's stock of weapons-grade material has been a source of friction with China, particularly after right-wing Japanese politicians suggested that it may have value as a deterrent, even though the country ruled out development of nuclear weapons in 1967. Japan's stock of weapons-grade material has been a source of friction with China, particularly after rightwing Japanese politicians suggested that it may have value as a deterrent, even though the country ruled out development of nuclear weapons in 1967.
The radioactive material is only a small proportion of Japan's stock, but is in a form that would make it easy to use in a nuclear warhead.The radioactive material is only a small proportion of Japan's stock, but is in a form that would make it easy to use in a nuclear warhead.
The agreement with Japan was hailed by US officials as the greatest success so far resulting from President Obama's 2009 initiative.The agreement with Japan was hailed by US officials as the greatest success so far resulting from President Obama's 2009 initiative.
A 2013 deadline "to secure all vulnerable nuclear material around the world within four years" has been missed. Since 2010, when the first of three nuclear security summits was held in Washington, 10 countries have rid themselves completely of plutonium and HEU: Chile, Serbia, Turkey, Austria, Mexico, Sweden, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Vietnam. The deadline was extended with the announcement there would be a fourth summit in Washington in 2016. A 2013 deadline "to secure all vulnerable nuclear material around the world within four years" has been missed. Since 2010, when the first of three nuclear security summits was held in Washington, 10 countries have rid themselves completely of plutonium and HEU: Chile, Serbia, Turkey, Austria, Mexico, Sweden, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Vietnam. The deadline was extended with the announcement there would be a fourth summit in Washington in 2016.
The two-day meeting in The Hague, involving 53 world leaders, will focus on improving security for global stocks of other radiological isotopesincluding cobalt 60 and caesium 137 which are used in industry, research and medicine but which could be used in a "dirty bomb" to irradiate a large urban area. The two-day meeting in The Hague, involving 53 world leaders, will focus on improving security for global stocks of other radiological isotopes including cobalt 60 and caesium 137 which are used in industry, research and medicine but which could be used in a "dirty bomb" to irradiate a large urban area.
Despite the advances made in the past four years, a former US senator, Sam Nunn, the chief executive officer of a Washington-based thinktank called the Nuclear Threat Initiative, warned in a report published before the Hague summit that "nearly 2,000 metric [tonnes] of weapons-usable nuclear materials remain spread across hundreds of sites around the globe – some of it poorly secured".Despite the advances made in the past four years, a former US senator, Sam Nunn, the chief executive officer of a Washington-based thinktank called the Nuclear Threat Initiative, warned in a report published before the Hague summit that "nearly 2,000 metric [tonnes] of weapons-usable nuclear materials remain spread across hundreds of sites around the globe – some of it poorly secured".
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano, said last year there were a hundred reported thefts on nuclear and radioactive materials on average each year, although such incidents so far have involved very small quantities.The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano, said last year there were a hundred reported thefts on nuclear and radioactive materials on average each year, although such incidents so far have involved very small quantities.
"We are going in the right direction," said Joe Cirincione, the head of the Ploughshares Fund, which promotes disarmament and non-proliferation initiatives. But he added: "When you are fleeing a forest fire, however, it is not a question of direction but of speed. Can we get to safety before disaster overwhelms us? The current pace is only sporadically urgent. Worse, there is a real chance that even this cooperation will cease after the final, planned summit in 2016." "We are going in the right direction," said Joe Cirincione, the head of the Ploughshares Fund, which promotes disarmament and non-proliferation initiatives. But he added: "When you are fleeing a forest fire, however, it is not a question of direction but of speed. Can we get to safety before disaster overwhelms us? The current pace is only sporadically urgent. Worse, there is a real chance that even this co-operation will cease after the final, planned summit in 2016."