HIROSHIMA — Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba and Nagasaki Gov. Genjiro Kaneko expressed disappointment Sunday that a U.S. proposal to lift the global ban on nuclear trade with India has received international approval.
Akiba issued a statement saying it is "totally disappointing."
The 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group reached consensus Saturday to give India a trade waiver for its bilateral nuclear cooperation deal with the U.S.
India, which is not party to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, is now allowed to start trading nuclear technology for civil nuclear programs with NSG member states.
Akiba urged the Japanese government, which approved the proposal, to make further efforts to achieve a total elimination of nuclear weapons.
In Nagasaki, Kaneko said the decision was "very disappointing," adding the special treatment for India may affect the nonproliferation regime under the NPT.