Japan PM reaffirms anti-nuclear policy

As thousands assembled in Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park to mark the 57th anniversary of the world’s first atomic bomb attack today, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reaffirmed Japan’s policy against building or possessing nuclear weapons.

In April, Koizumi’s Cabinet spokesman sparked controversy when he said that Japan is not legally prohibited from having nuclear arms - an assertion interpreted by some as a major shift in the country’s long-standing anti-nuclear policy.