Iran resumes small-scale uranium-enrichment work: sources
February 13, 2006Iran has resumed small-scale uranium-enrichment work at its Natanz nuclear plant, diplomatic sources said Monday. Iran has started feeding uranium UF6 gas into centrifuges at its pilot enrichment plant, a move that marks a first step toward making fuel for nuclear reactors or bombs.
Japan's vice foreign minister urges China to resume top-level talks
February 13, 2006Japan will continue to urge China to resume top-level meetings with Tokyo, Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi said Monday. Yachi made the remarks after he met with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo for two days of talks through Saturday to ease strained bilateral ties.
Lead: Maker raided on exports of machine with possible nuke use
February 13, 2006Police on Monday raided leading high-tech precision instruments maker Mitutoyo Corp. on suspicion that it exported three-dimension precision-measuring machines, which could be used to make centrifuge machines to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons, to China and Thailand in 2001 and 2002. The Metropolitan Police Department also searched more than 10 factories and offices of the manufacturer based in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, on suspicion of breaching the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Control Law.
Genkai town to accept Kyushu Electric's pluthermal reactor plan
February 13, 2006The town of Genkai in Saga Prefecture decided Monday to accept a Kyushu Electric Power Co. plan to use ''pluthermal'' nuclear power generation, designed to work off a growing stockpile of spent nuclear fuel, at the No. 3 reactor of its Genkai nuclear power plant. The move came after Saga Gov. Yasushi Furukawa announced last Tuesday that the plan, to which the government gave approval in September after safety assessment procedures, is assured to be safe.
Annan says Myanmar may threaten international peace, security
February 13, 2006U.N. Security General Kofi Annan said at an informal meeting of the Security Council in December that military-ruled Myanmar may threaten international peace and security if the country's current situation is not addressed properly, security council sources told Kyodo News on Monday. ''Annan made it clear (at the meeting) that Burma might be a threat to the region,'' one of the sources said.
Japan, U.S. officials to meet this week over realignment
February 13, 2006Senior officials of Japan and the United States plan to hold an unofficial meeting in Tokyo from Friday over the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, government sources said Monday. Japan is expected to ask the United States for a further breakdown of the $8 billion figure reportedly presented by the United States for relocating the U.S. Marine Corps command and some 6,000 Marines from Okinawa to Guam, they said.