Spokesman: Japan will not have nuke weapons

TOKYO, April 20 -- Japan will never possess nuclear weapons, said top government spokesman Monday, dismissing recent suggestion of going nuclear posed by former Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa.

"There is no doubt that we will continue firmly maintaining our policy of (upholding) the three nonnuclear principles" of not producing, possessing or allowing nuclear weapons in Japan, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura told a news conference, adding that Japan will "never possess nuclear weapons".

Kawamura said in response to Nakagawa's remarks about "nuclear counters nuclear", referring to Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s announcement that it will resume its nuclear program.

Earlier this month, another Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker also said at a party meeting that Japan should have nuclear weapons in light of DPRK's rocket launch on April 5, according to Kyodo News.