日本語の署名はこちら(Japanese Petition is HERE)

Summary of Petition 

On November 11 last year, the Governments of Japan and India signed the Japan-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (henceforth referred to as 'the Agreement'). We are strongly opposed to  it as it violates the firm postwar stance and  efforts made by the Japanese people to promote abolition of nuclear weapons and non-proliferation, as the only country to have suffered nuclear attacks.

On 24 February, the Government of Japan tabled 'the Agreement' in parliament. We, citizen groups and individuals from across Japan, have joined people in India and other parts of the world in a campaign to demand that this Agreement not be ratified.

India is not a party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and it has twice conducted nuclear tests. This Agreement allows India to increase production of both its nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons.  Moreover, India's neighboring country, Pakistan is also not party to the NPT and also possesses nuclear weapons. It is obvious that this Agreement will aggravate the nuclear arms race in the South Asian region.

This Agreement also allows India to reprocess its spent nuclear fuel to produce plutonium as well as to enrich uranium.  Furthermore, the clause on Japan's withdrawing of cooperation in the event that India conducts another nuclear test, is ambiguous. Compared to other nuclear cooperation agreements, it is incomplete and hence unacceptable by any measure. The media has reported that even within the Liberal Democratic Party, there is strong opposition to this Agreement.

 While the Fukushima Daiichi disaster is still ongoingand Japan is still in a state of nuclear emergency, it is insensitive and irresponsible to export nuclear technology. In all the areas where nuclear power plant construction is planned in India, there are massive grassroots movements strongly opposed to them. The people are shouting 'Japan, don't export nuclear accidents!'

Nuclear manufacturers such as Toshiba and Hitachi are in financial trouble and are reviewing their nuclear export policy.  The general and global shift away from nuclear power also seems irreversible.

We strongly urge that the Nuclear Export Bill be withdrawn. Instead, Japan should engage in international cooperation to promote renewable energy.