China Reported To Have A-Bombs

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30035, 21 January 1963, Page 11

China Reported To Have A-Bombs

(N .Z-P-A.-Rtuttr—Copyright) TOKYO, January 20. Japan’s top defence official said today the Japan-American Consultative Security Committee had received information China has two atom bombs and will achieve full nuclear capacity in 10 years.

The official, Mr Kenjiro Shiga, Mtatoter of State and director-general of the defence agency, was quoted by major Japanese news spend os, newspapers, and radio and tetevtoioa stations in special bulletins. The Jiji news agency said the committee was also understood to have studied information that China would probably set off its first nuclear test explosion by the end of this year. United States officials mid Communist Cbina might be ready to detonate a crude nuclear device any time, “in the next few years” but she could not develop tmbte nuclear weapoue foe perhepe 18 yean. Offieteis In WaeMngtanaald they knew of no intelligence ifainnattan that now has two nuclear bombs and will test them before the end of the year, United Press International reported. Washington nffirtala said they ham long known that Ccmnuntot Puna has been working on nuclear development and has a nuntoer of

competent nuclear scientists. The Chinese nuclear programme, however, is believed to have been handicapped by the withdrawal of Soviet technicians to 1961. They added, however, that toe general estimate had been that Communist China could achieve a tert device any time between 1963 and 1965.

The security committee L meeting, which opened today. • is discussing Japan’s defence and the international situal tion in relation to Japan and i toe Far East It is being i attended by the American i enmmander-fo ■ chief of Pacific > forces, Admiral Hany D. i Ftit i Thera ware conflicting reports over which aide preI seated toe infonnatioa about > the nuclear bombs. The teedr tag daily newspaper, “Asahi I Shimbun,” said the bombs I were acaaH ones for tert ’ P TheJiji Maney said it was 1 hßM , wrt< * China had fag t nuclear reactors in operation »—* .h** 1 .already stored ’ noSere exptostoes, too