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Copyright of SIRIUS - Zeitschrift fur Strategische Analysen is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

North Korea's unpredictable behavior with respect to its nuclear arsenal is only one element of a nuclear arms competition among powers in Asia. Nuclear Asia is a potential cockpit for an outbreak of accidental nuclear war or deliberate nuclear first use, as among regional rivals and adversaries. In addition, a limited nuclear war between regional enemies could ignite intervention by outside powers and intensify, in terms of its potential for horizontal or vertical escalation. Research does not support a definitive relationship between the numbers of nuclear weapons states acting in Asia or in the Pacific and the probability of war, including nuclear war. On the other hand, the availability of nuclear weapons may make more states risk acceptant instead of risk averse in regional conflicts, and overconfident with respect to their skills in managing escalation. That finding is important because states' abilities to manage escalation may be more important than the sizes of their arsenals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a discussion of the reluctance of Japan to build an arsenal of nuclear weapons and its eagerness to extend nuclear nonproliferation, adapted from the chapter "Japan's Nuclear Hedge: Beyond 'Allergy' and Breakout,'" by Richard J. Samuels and James L. Schoff, in the book "Strategic Asia 2013-14: Asia in the Second Nuclear Age." It examines Japan's periodic reexamination of its non-nuclear weapons stance during regional security concerns in Asia and reassurance from the U.S. government concerning nuclear deterrence, and public opinion in Japan concerning nuclear weapons.

The importance of nuclear security in Asia needs to be focused upon in view of the emerging challenges of nuclear proliferation, growing nuclear arsenals, expanding civilian nuclear energy programmes, weak export controls, zones of domestic instability and terrorism in several regions within the continent. This article focuses on the factors that pose potential risks to nuclear security in Asia. It emphasises the prevailing factors endangering the security of nuclear and radiological materials in Asia. The article stresses the need to strengthen nuclear security in Asia and reinforce effective nuclear security worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]