Statements

The U.S. Department of Energy announced on 22nd March 2000 that underground subcritical nuclear tests had been undertaken for the 10th time.

These tests were conducted at the precise moment when Mr Clinton, the President of the United States of America, was visiting India to request Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, the Prime Minister of India to subscribe to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty.

As we already pointed out in a statement issued in December 1998 to protest against the subcritical nuclear tests undertaken by the U.S.A. and Russia, to carry on such tests, on the pretence that they do not involve actual nuclear explosions while proclaiming nuclear disarmament is contrary to the spirit of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, and only reflects the selfish attitude of powerful countries.

As an association of writers advocating the total eradication of nuclear weapons, the Japan P.E.N. Club wishes to strongly protest against those experiments.
23th March 2000