Ex-minister Nakagawa suggests debate on Japan having nuclear weapons+

TOKYO, April 19 Kyodo -
Former Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa suggested Sunday that Japan should
promote discussions on the possibility of possessing nuclear weapons.

On North Korea's notification to resume nuclear development, the hawkish
lawmaker said in a speech in Obihiro, Hokkaido, ''It is common sense worldwide
that in a purely military sense it is nuclear that can counteract nuclear.''
He has called for debates in the past on whether Japan should go nuclear,
telling a TV program as chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party's Policy
Research Council in October 2006 that the Constitution does not rule out the
option of Japan's possessing nuclear arms.
In Sunday's speech, Nakagawa said he believes North Korea must have many Rodong
medium-range missiles that could reach almost any part of Japan, while also
possessing downsized, missile-borne nuclear bombs.
''North Korea has taken a step toward a system whereby it could shoot without
prior notice,'' he said. ''We have to discuss countermeasures.''
He added, however, that a debate on nuclear weapons is not the same as actually
possessing them, stressing the need to promote public discussions.
Nakagawa stepped down as finance minister in February over what appeared to be
his drunken behavior at an international news conference in Rome.
==Kyodo