§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have discussed with the United States their proposals to convey anti-ballistic missile technology to Japan, which is already capable of producing nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction; and whether in their view adding technologies for the development of weapons which the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty bans for the United States and Russia has merit and, if so, what merit.
Viscount CranborneThe Government hold regular consultations with the US authorities on the subject of ballistic missile defence. The question of co-operation between Japan and the US on the acquisition of defensive systems to protect against ballistic missile attacks is however a matter for those two governments. Japan is of course a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has therefore undertaken not to manufacture of otherwise acquire nuclear weapons.