Japan calls Russia’s nukes rhetoric ‘intolerable’

Tokyo, Mar 27 (EFE).- Japan on Monday called the threats about the use of nuclear weapons by Moscow and its recent announcement about the deployment of tactical assets in Belarus “intolerable.”

“As the only country that has suffered the use of nuclear weapons in war, Japan can never tolerate Russia’s threats or use of nuclear weapons,” Executive Spokesperson Minister Hirokazu Matsuno said when asked about the issue at a press conference.

Japan also expressed its condemnation of the announcement made Sunday by Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the agreement for the early deployment of tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian territory.

This measure “runs the risk of increasing the tension of the situation while Russia continues with its invasion of Ukraine,” the spokesman said.

Tokyo will “continue to call for actions that may cause further tension to be halted” and “will consider appropriate measures together with other countries in the United Nations Security Council,” Matsuno added.

Putin said the agreement with Minsk does not violate Russia’s obligations on nuclear non-proliferation and added that on Apr. 3 the training of the Belarusian military will begin and on Jul. 1 the construction of a silo to place said weapons in the neighboring country.

In February, Putin announced the suspension of his country’s compliance with START III or New START, the last nuclear disarmament treaty still in force between Russia and the United States. EFE

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