DATE=5/28/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232928
TITLE=JAPAN / PAKISTAN / NUKE REACT (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=THOMAS CALDWELL
DATELINE=TOKYO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTO: IN JAPAN, REACTION TO PAKISTAN'S NUCLEAR WEAPON'S TEST WAS 
WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT FROM THE ONLY NATION IN THE WORLD TO 
EXPERIENCE THE HORROR OF A NUCLEAR ATTACK.  THOMAS CALDWELL HAS A
REPORT FROM TOKYO.

TEXT:  AT A LATE NIGHT NEWS CONFERENCE, CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY 
KANEZO MURAOKA CALLED PAKISTAN'S TEST OF NUCLEAR DEVICES 
"EXTREMELY REGRETTABLE" AND TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. 

HE SAYS PAKISTAN IGNORED JAPAN'S REQUEST TO REFRAIN FROM NUCLEAR 
TESTING AND THAT THE ACTION WAS AGAINST THE GLOBAL TREND TOWARD 
NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT.  MR. MURAOKA SAYS PAKISTAN SHOULD CEASE ALL 
FURTHER NUCLEAR TESTING AND DEVELOPMENT AND BECOME SIGNATORIES TO
THE COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN TREATY.

FOREIGN MINISTER KEIZO OBUCHI IMMEDIATELY SUMMONED PAKISTAN'S 
CHARGE DE AFFAIRS IN TOKYO TO HIS OFFICE. HE TOLD PAKISTAN'S 
ENVOY THAT JAPAN WILL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO TAKE RETALIATORY 
MEASURES AGAINST PAKISTAN. 

THE FOREIGN MINISTER DID NOT GO INTO DETAILS -- BUT IT IS 
EXPECTED THAT JAPAN'S ECONOMIC RETALIATION AGAINST ISLAMABAD WILL
BE IDENTICAL TO ACTION IT TOOK AGAINST INDIA EARLIER THIS MONTH, 
NAMELY A CUTOFF OF ALL AID AND A FREEZE ON LOANS.

THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE COMMENT FROM JAPAN'S PRIME MINISTER, 
RUYTARO HASHIMOTO, WHO WAS SAID TO BE CONSULTING WITH OTHER 
MEMBERS OF HIS GOVERNMENT.

THERE WAS REACTION FROM THE MAYORS OF THE ONLY TWO CITIES IN 
HISTORY THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED NUCLEAR ATTACK.  NAGASAKI MAYOR 
ICHO ITO TOLD A HASTILY GATHERED NEWS CONFERENCE THAT PAKISTAN 
WAS SELFISH FOR TESTING NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND SHOULD BE REPRIMANDED
BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.  HIROSHIMA MAYOR TAKASHI HIROAKA 
SAYS PAKISTAN AND INDIA SHOULD CEASE TESTING NUCLEAR WEAPONS 
IMMEDIATELY.

THE MOST EMOTIONAL REACTION SO FAR CAME FROM SURVIVORS OF THE U-S
NUCLEAR ATTACKS ON THE CITIES OF HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI MORE THAN
50 YEARS AGO. THE SURVIVORS ARE KNOWN AS "THE HIBAKUSHA," AND 
THEY HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR THE ABOLITION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR 
DECADES.  ONE SURVIVOR WHO WAS INTERVIEWED BY T-V NETWORKS RIGHT 
AFTER PAKISTAN'S TEST CALLED IT "A CHILDISH ACT." (SIGNED)

NEB/TC/TMD/RRM

28-May-98 12:03 PM EDT (1603 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.