The Abe administration wants the Diet in its next session (starting Jan. 24) to finalize a civil nuclear accord that Tokyo and Ankara signed in May 2013 during Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to Turkey.
The accord is problematic because, in theory, it would enable Turkey to reprocess spent nuclear fuel — which would result in the extraction of uranium and plutonium. Because plutonium can be used to make nuclear weapons, curbing access to it is key to global efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation.
The accord was part of Abe's attempt to deepen relations with Turkey, a major player in the Middle East and Central Asia that is enjoying rapid economic development. Abe visited the country in May and October 2013.