Left Flank

Japan's liberal Asahi Daily knows a threat to the international legal order and nuclear non-proliferation regime when it finds it.

The NPT members have all agreed that technological support for the peaceful use of nuclear energy should not be supplied to nonmembers. Up to now, the United States has also stood by this principle.

Now the United States is treating India differently. Explaining the U.S. government's reasons, the Bush administration said that, for one, India is a democracy. Secondly, India is very unlikely to sell nuclear technology to other countries.

While it is true that India is strategically important, we should not let any incidents occur that will allow any crack in the NPT system. The NPT foundations are shaky enough as it is.

If India becomes an exception, Pakistan is sure to demand similar treatment. North Korea pushed ahead with nuclear testing after claiming it had withdrawn from the NPT. Iran is pursuing a uranium enrichment program despite U.N. sanctions. The U.S. move to finalize its nuclear cooperation pact with India puts a damper on international efforts to stop such actions.

In addressing his parliament, Prime Minister Singh said the deal would not prevent India from conducting nuclear tests in the future. If that is true, it means the deal does not ban the resumption of nuclear tests. Moreover, India did not even pledge to freeze its nuclear weapons stockpile.

If India intends to pursue nuclear power generation for peaceful purposes, it should abandon its nuclear weapons program.

The India-U.S. pact will soon be put to discussion by a 45-nation group of nuclear power providers, including Japan. It needs to be endorsed unanimously in order to actually take effect. Already, some European countries are poised to mount opposition.

The Japanese government should not maintain an ambiguous attitude. It must clearly state its opposition.

Responsible, patient, law-abiding...Japanese.