War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Carter's New World; Interview with Kazuhisa Mori, 1987

Part of War and Peace in the Nuclear Age.

02/24/1987

Kazuhisa Mori was a part of the Japanese Atomic Industrial Forum. In the interview he discusses the start and development of Japan's nuclear energy program, as well as challenges Japan has faced and an outlook for Japan's future nuclear capabilities. He starts by describing the creation of the Japanese Atomic Energy Council, and the general feeling in Japan that as long as nuclear energy is only used peacefully, it is a wonderful solution for energy security. He describes the roles of the United States, Great Britain, and France in the development of Japan's nuclear energy program, who supplied the technology, training, and fuel for production. He goes on to discuss the international non-proliferation movement, and it's effects on Japan. He explains his worries that the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1968 would disadvantage countries using atomic energy for only peaceful purposes, especially Japan which has a comprehensive ban on the production of nuclear weapons. He specifically describes an incident where Americans came banging on the door of a nuclear facility at 3 AM, requiring an inspection, which Mr. Mori considers unacceptable. He goes on to reiterate the ways that non-proliferation policy can interfere with the solely peaceful use of nuclear energy, since so many regulations are required. While he believes that Japan could build a nuclear weapon, he has no idea how long it might take and is confident that it would not happen since the Japanese are dedicated to non-proliferation.

License Clip

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Series

War and Peace in the Nuclear Age

Program

Carter's New World

Program Number

109

Title

Interview with Kazuhisa Mori, 1987

Series Description

The first atomic explosion in the New Mexico desert on July 16, 1945, changed the world forever. This series chronicles these changes and the history of a new era. It traces the development of nuclear weapons, the evolution of nuclear strategy, and the politics of a world with the power to destroy itself.

In thirteen one-hour programs that combine historic footage and recent interviews with key American, Soviet, and European participants, the nuclear age unfolds: the origin and evolution of nuclear weapons; the people of the past who have shaped the events of the present; the ideas and issues that political leaders, scientists, and the public at large must confront, and the prospects for the future. Nuclear Age highlights the profound changes in contemporary thinking imposed by the advent of nuclear weapons. Series release date: 1/1989

Program Description

President Carter comes to office determined to reduce the number of nuclear weapons and to improve relations with the Soviet Union. His frustrations are as grand as his intentions.

Carter had hoped the United States and the Soviet Union would reduce their reliance on nuclear weapons. He stopped production of the B-1 bomber. He believed the SALT II negotiations would be a step toward eliminating nuclear weapons. But his intentions were frustrated by Soviet actions and by a lack of consensus among his own advisors, including Chief SALT II negotiator Paul Warnke and national security advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski (who was dubious about arms control). Carter balanced Soviet aggression in Africa by improving American relations with China. He withdrew SALT II treaty from Senate consideration but its terms continued to serve as general limits on strategic nuclear force levels for both the United States and the Soviet Union.

Duration

00:39:51

Asset Type

Raw video

Media Type

Video

Subjects

International relations

Nuclear energy

Chernobyl Nuclear Accident, Chornobyl, Ukraine, 1986

Nuclear nonproliferation

Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (1968)

Locations

Genres

Topics

Contributors

Mori, Kazuhisa, 1926-2010 (Interviewee)

Publication Information

WGBH Educational Foundation

Citation

Chicago: “War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Carter's New World; Interview with Kazuhisa Mori, 1987,” 02/24/1987, GBH Archives, accessed December 22, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_57832466A03D426F88BB5DACF10DDCFC.

MLA: “War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Carter's New World; Interview with Kazuhisa Mori, 1987.” 02/24/1987. GBH Archives. Web. December 22, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_57832466A03D426F88BB5DACF10DDCFC>.

APA: War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Carter's New World; Interview with Kazuhisa Mori, 1987. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_57832466A03D426F88BB5DACF10DDCFC

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War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Carter's New World; Interview with Kazuhisa Mori, 1987