Japan to Closely Follow Situation Around US Withdrawal From INF Treaty

Japan will closely follow the situation around the US decision to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Monday.

On Saturday, US President Donald Trump announced the country’s withdrawal from the INF treaty over the alleged Russian violations of the agreement.

“Taking into account the role of the treaty in the control over arms and disarmament as well as the role it may play in ensuring the regional security, we are going to closely follow the US and Russian moves,” Suga said.

He pointed out that Tokyo and Washington used to exchange information in the sphere of security and nuclear disarmament.
“I think they [the consultations] will be continued,” Suga added.

The 1987 INF Treaty prohibits the development, deployment and testing of ground-launched ballistic or cruise missiles with ranges between 300 and 3,400 miles.