The NPT and The IAEA

First things first. I need to apologize that the information i gave in the introduction was not accurate. The Three anti nuclear principles established by the then Prime Minister, Eisaku Sato in the year 1968 were actually just Japanese policy towards nuclear and the other countries have nothing to do with this. My apologies.

You might have heard words like IAEA and NPT while watching news about North Korea. Let me explain the meanings of them in simple words.

The NPT (Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty) is an international treaty opened for signature on July 1, 1968 to limit the spread of nuclear weapons. There are 188 sovereign states party to the treaty. Back then, the 5 nations that were involved in the nuclear arms race promised not to give nor help other nations make nuclear weapons. Then again, the rest promised not to recive nor make any of them.

Nuclear generation became the main source of electric power in many countries as we made the transition to the new energy environment. However, wastes from nuclear power plants contain plutonium which can be a material for atomic bombs. So there is a rule in NPT that all nuclear power plants must operate under proper checks and restraints. The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) exists for this reason. It works with its member states and multiple partners worldwide to promote safe, secure and peaceful nuclear technologies.

About 20 years ago, North Korea as well decied to make a nuclear power plant and asked The Soviet Union how to make one. The Soviet Union accepted this with a qualification and North Korea was required to join the NPT. When a country entres the NPT, every nuclear power plant in the country will be inspected regulary by agents sent by IAEA. The problem is North Korea excluded these agents from its power plants, and quit NPT. The definite weakness of this treaty is it's not strict enough. Of course the attitude of this country is intolerable from a commonsence standpoint but the agency could have taken some sort of action to avoid this situation. Talking of the laxness of the NPT, India, Israel and Pakistan are not even members of it.

The NPT has some more shortcomings. Some people may complain about countries like United States appealing for this agreement. Practically, these countries are contradicting themselves by possessing nuclear weapons.

As the only victim of atomic bomb, Japan must voluntarily advocate the dreadfullness of nuclear weapons and contribute to abolition of nuclear armaments.

an NGO realated to my topic

Peace Boat is a Japan-based international non-governmental and non-profit organization that works to promote peace, human rights, equal and sustainable development and respect for the environment. Peace Boat seeks to create awareness and action based on effecting positive social and political change in the world. We pursue this through the organization of global educational programmes, responsible travel, cooperative projects and advocacy activities. These activities are carried out on a partnership basis with other civil society organizations and communities in Japan, Northeast Asia, and around the world.Peace Boat carries out its main activities through a chartered passenger ship that travels the world on peace voyages. The ship creates a neutral, mobile space and enables people to engage across borders in dialogue and mutual cooperation at sea, and in the ports that we visit. Activities based on Japan and Northeast Asia are carried out from our eight Peace Centers in Japan.

Peace Boat. 30 May 2007 <http://www.peaceboat.org/english/nwps/sm/arc/050907/full.html>.

Key Phrases Connected to The Topic

Pollution

Destruction

Contamination

Radioactivity

Atomic Bomb

Hydrogen Bomb

Neutron Bomb

Depleted Uranium Bomb

Hiroshima

Nagasaki

North Korea

India

Pakistan

Six Nations Talk

NPT

IAEA

Cold War

Nuclear Allergy

Nuclear Disarmament

Nuclear Inspection

Nuclear Deterrent

Nuclear Test

Nuclear Umbrella

Nuclear Winter

The Chernobyl Disaster

Which Side Are You On?

As I mentioned in the introduction, I am strongly against nuclear weapons and hoping they would someday be eliminated from the surface of the earth.

The reasons are that they are good for nothing and too risky. They are also against humanity. If you ever saw the sight of Hiroshima after being bombed, probably you'd get the same idea. Many people in the world have the same idea.

Please let me know why you think nuclear weapons are continuously being produced and which side you're on. They always say it's for self defence but I do not think such highly destructive weapons are suitable for defending themselves.

By the way the strongest hydrogen bomb in the history have a nuclear punch equal to 3300 Hiroshimas. scary isn't it?

Introduction

Currently, there are 9 countries that possess nuclear weapons including North Korea. However, there exists a regulation against going nuclear i.e. the three anti nuclear principles. Then how was it possible for them to come into possession of nuclear armaments? India, Pakistan and North Korea are newcomers. In other words, they had violated the principles to gain newclear power. The rest, the loyalits armies have been keeping them since the end of World War 2.

By possessing newclear power, they can never give convincing arguments. As excuse, they always say that newclear is indispensable for defending themselves. But are they really suited for the act of self defence?

It is true that in cold war, newclear itself restrained the two countries from using it because of it's massive destructiveness.However, there must be an easier way then every country possessing one.