Following the completion of the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant in Aomori Prefecture, the Asahi Shimbun raised the question of whether Japan intended to acquire nuclear weapons and referred to a plutonium stockpile equivalent to 6,000 nuclear bombs.
Examining the confrontation between Japan and the United States over graphite-moderated reactors, the nature of plutonium produced by light-water reactors, and Christian missionary activity during the Occupation, Masayuki Takayama delivers a severe criticism of the Asahi Shimbun’s reporting on nuclear energy.

June 25, 2020
In an editorial, Kiyoki Nemoto raised an alarm by asking, “Does Japan Intend to Acquire Nuclear Weapons?”
A certain Kawada from the science desk also disparaged Japan in a column by writing of “criticism from overseas.”
The point that these two men once again make so self-importantly is that Japan possesses “enough plutonium for 6,000 nuclear bombs.”
The following is from Masayuki Takayama’s regular column, which brings up the rear of today’s newly released issue of Shukan Shincho.
This article once again proves that he is a journalist without equal in the postwar world.
All emphasis within the text, apart from the heading, is mine.
A Newspaper That Does Not Fear God
During my time as a correspondent in Los Angeles, I lived on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica.
Roosevelt Elementary School stood directly in front of my home, and if I turned right and headed toward Wilshire Boulevard, the church of St. Monica Catholic High School stood on the right.
It was a troubled school with many black students, and there was even a gunfight among students on prom night.
However, because the church was one of the relatively uncommon Catholic churches in the area, an astonishing number of citizens came to Mass on Sundays.
It gave me a sense of the depth of religious faith among Americans.
Yet the history they have created does not appear to reflect that faith.
I have never encountered an American who, “if someone strikes you on the right cheek, turns to him the other also” (Matthew, Chapter 5).
Omitted.
The United States also fought Japan and dropped two atomic bombs.
During the Occupation, it pressured the Japanese people to convert to Christianity.
Fifteen hundred missionaries were summoned and instructed to read the Epistle to the Romans to the people and preach that they “must not seek revenge for the atomic bombings.”
Even after the peaceful use of nuclear energy began, the United States remained wary of allowing the Japanese to handle nuclear technology and prohibited them from doing so.
Japan, however, lacked energy resources and absolutely required nuclear power generation.
When the United States refused, the Japanese government negotiated with Britain and introduced a graphite-moderated Calder Hall reactor.
Its fuel was inexpensive natural uranium.
The graphite-moderated reactor began generating electricity at Tokai Village, but the truth is that this type of reactor had originally been designed to produce plutonium for nuclear bombs, or Pu-239.
Had Japan chosen to do so, it could immediately have produced nuclear bombs for retaliation.
Alarmed by this, the United States pleaded, “We will provide you with light-water reactors, so please abandon the graphite-moderated reactor.”
Plutonium is also produced in light-water reactors, but much of it consists of non-fissile Pu-240.
No matter what ingenuity might be applied, it cannot be used to make a nuclear bomb.
Japan does not believe in Christianity, but it does believe that divine punishment will eventually befall the United States.
The reprocessing plant at Rokkasho Village in Aomori Prefecture was completed.
This would provide considerable stability to Japan’s energy resources, but the foolish Asahi Shimbun immediately began picking a quarrel over it.
In an editorial, Kiyoki Nemoto raised an alarm by asking, “Does Japan Intend to Acquire Nuclear Weapons?”
A certain Kawada from the science desk also disparaged Japan in a column by writing of “criticism from overseas.”
The point that these two men once again make so self-importantly is that Japan possesses “enough plutonium for 6,000 nuclear bombs.”
This is despite the fact that plutonium suitable for nuclear bombs cannot be produced by light-water reactors.
Why do they continue to repeat the same falsehood?
God regards lies that harm others as mortal sins that send those who tell them to hell.
Yoshibumi Wakamiya has already gone there, and reservations have also been made for Katsuichi Honda, Takashi Uemura, and others.