DATE=5/29/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232972
TITLE=JAPAN / PAKISTAN / NUKE /  REACT (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=THOMAS CALDWELL
DATELINE=TOKYO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  

INTRO:   PUBLIC AND GOVERNMENT INDIGNATION OVER PAKISTAN'S 
DECISION TO TEST NUCLEAR WEAPONS IS CONTINUING TO BE HEARD IN 
JAPAN. AND, AS THOMAS CALDWELL REPORTS FROM TOKYO, THE JAPANESE 
GOVERNMENT HAS GONE AHEAD WITH ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST 
ISLAMABAD. 

TEXT:  THE JAPANESE WERE NOT SURPRISED THAT PAKISTAN DECIDED TO 
PROCEED WITH THE TESTING OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. BUT THE GOVERNMENT 
OF PRIME MINISTER RYUTARO HASHIMOTO HAD HELD OUT HOPE THAT THE 
GOVERNMENT OF NAWAZ SHARIF WOULD SHOW RESTRAINT.

FOLLOWING A MEETING WITH HIS FOREIGN MINISTER, MR. HASHIMOTO 
FORMALLY ANNOUNCED ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST PAKISTAN THAT ARE 
ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THOSE IMPOSED ON INDIA EARLIER THIS MONTH. 
JAPAN WILL FREEZE ALL AID FOR NEW PROJECTS EXCEPT FOR THOSE 
DEEMED EMERGENCY AND HUMANITARIAN. YEN LOANS TO PAKISTAN WILL BE 
FROZEN. THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT WILL ALSO EXAMINE THE LOAN 
PROGRAMS OPERATED BY INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND DO 
WHAT IT CAN TO PREVENT ANY TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN BE USED TO MAKE 
WEAPONS OF MASS-DESTRUCTION FROM FINDING ITS WAY TO PAKISTAN .

MR. HASHIMOTO CALLED ON PAKISTAN TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE NUCLEAR 
TESTING AND URGED THE COUNTRY, ALONG WITH INDIA, TO 
UNCONDITIONALLY CONCLUDE THE NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY AND THE 
COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN TREATY.

IN TOKYO, PROTESTERS STOOD IN FRONT OF PAKISTAN'S EMBASSY AND 
HELD ALOFT BANNERS CONDEMNING THURSDAY'S TEST. AMONG THEM WAS 
ICHO ITO, THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NAGASAKI. HE DELIVERED A 
LETTER OF PROTEST TO THE EMBASSY, ALONG WITH SEVERAL PHOTOGRAPHS 
TAKEN OF VICTIMS OF THE DESTRUCTION OF HIS CITY BY A U-S NUCLEAR 
BOMB NEAR THE END OF WORLD WAR TWO. 

MR. ITO TOLD REPORTERS THAT HE DELIVERED THE PHOTOGRAPHS BECAUSE 
WORDS ALONE CANNOT CONVEY THE HORROR OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. HE ADDED
THAT NAGASAKI'S EXPERIENCE PROVED THAT PEOPLE AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS
CANNOT CO-EXIST.

THE MAYOR OF HIROSHIMA ALSO SENT A LETTER OF PROTEST TO THE 
PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT. TAKASHI HIROAKA CALLED THE TESTS "AN 
OUTRAGEOUS ACT" AND SAID THAT HE FEARS A HEATING UP OF TENSION IN
SOUTHWEST ASIA. HE CALLED UPON PAKISTAN NOT TO TEST ANY MORE 
WEAPONS AND TO DO WHAT IT CAN TO REPAIR ITS RELATIONS WITH INDIA.
(SIGNED) 

NEB/TC/FC

29-May-98 3:06 AM EDT (0706 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.