Japan's Defense Minister: Nuclear-Powered Submarines Will Not Be Ruled Out

Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said nuclear-powered submarines should not be ruled out as Japan evaluates future undersea capabilities. His comments followed reported support from an unnamed U.S. Navy official for Tokyo considering nuclear propulsion, which could provide greater endurance and sustained speed than Japan's current diesel-electric boats. The remarks do not constitute a procurement decision, approved programme or change to Japan's non-nuclear weapons policy. Any move toward nuclear propulsion would require major political, legal, industrial, training and infrastructure decisions before a submarine could be designed or acquired.