Japan pledges to help Iran on nuclear matters

October 13, 2015

Japan to provide expertise on nuclear energy to Iran

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/asia/around_asia/AJ201510130043

By DAISUKE KANDA/ Correspondent

TEHRAN--Japan pledged Oct. 12 to provide personnel and expertise to Tehran to help it develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

Agreement was reached here during talks between Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Kishida and Zarif agreed that Japan will provide its know-how on earthquake-preparedness at nuclear facilities based on its experience of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011.

Tokyo will also share its experience of emergency measures it took after the triple meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant and other steps to improve safety at nuclear facilities.

“Japan will continue efforts to foster cooperation between the two countries by providing its expertise to Iran in fields with which it has advanced know-how,” Kishida said during a news conference.

The two ministers also signed a bilateral investment pact to entice Japanese companies to make inroads into the Iranian market.

Under a historic accord Iran signed with a group of six nations led by the United States, Tehran can continue nuclear development to supply energy and for medical purposes. The United States had imposed sanctions against Iran over its uranium enrichment program.

In exchange, the pact requires Tehran to establish a “nuclear safety center” to obtain technological expertise on nuclear energy with support from the six nations and other countries.

According to a joint statement released after the ministerial meeting, Japan will dispatch nuclear experts to the center to help it map out strategies to cope with a nuclear accident.

Japanese experts will also provide training to their Iranian counterparts to explain the importance of building nuclear facilities capable of withstanding earthquakes and provide know-how on calculating and managing nuclear materials.

The experts are likely to arrive at the center next year or later when Iran is ready to implement the accord with the six countries.

The investment pact, which aims to assist Japanese firms as they tap into the Iranian market, was signed after only one month of negotiation. Teheran has signed similar investment accords with 52 countries, including Germany, France, China and South Korea.

Kishida also agreed to set up a Japan-Iran cooperation council to promote bilateral cooperation in economic, environmental and other fields.

During the news conference, Zarif expressed confidence in expanding bilateral cooperation, saying a very bright future lies ahead for the two countries’ diplomatic relations.