PLA Rocket Force warns Chinese cities of possible nuclear terrorist strike, cites Japan

China’s PLA Rocket Force released a study warning that Chinese metropolitan areas could be targeted by a low-yield nuclear terrorist device, even though the probability of a full-scale nuclear war remains low. The analysis singles out Japan, noting its non-participation in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and purported consideration of altering its three non-nuclear principles, which the report says sends a dangerous signal internationally.

It also references a prior Chinese claim that Tokyo may already possess weapons-grade plutonium and the capacity to develop nuclear arms quickly. Simulations based on the Hiroshima bombing illustrate severe medical, logistical and social disruptions that would follow such an event. Beijing’s existing emergency rescue network of more than 30 bases is cited, with recommendations to boost treatment capacity, stockpile antibiotics and radiation gear, and improve public training on nuclear safety. The study reflects ongoing Chinese suspicions about Japan’s potential remilitarisation.