U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage brushed aside speculation Tuesday that Japan may arm itself with atomic weapons in response to North Korea's nuclear arms programs.
"As long as the United States continues to provide the nuclear umbrella, Japan will not arm in a nuclear fashion," Armitage said in a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.
With North Korea admitting to having a uranium enrichment program and restarting operations of nuclear facilities for suspected nuclear arms development, there has been growing talk in the U.S. about the possibility of Japan building a nuclear arsenal.
Armitage stressed the need for the U.S. to maintain a close security alliance with Japan to prevent Tokyo from seeking a nuclear arsenal.