Bluff?

TOKYO (AP) - The Japanese government recently looked into the possibility of developing a nuclear warhead, a news report said Monday, citing an internal government document.

Yasuhisa Shiozaki, the government's top spokesman, however, denied any knowledge of such a document.

The Japanese daily Sankei reported that experts at several government organizations concluded it would take at least three to five years to make a prototype weapon.

The experts also estimated that the project would cost about $1.68 billion to $2.52 billion and require the efforts of several hundred engineers, according to Sankei.

The experts did not say whether Japan should develop nuclear arms, the newspaper reported, only what such a project would require. The newspaper published a summary of the document, dated Sept 20 and titled ``On the Possibility of Developing Nuclear Weapons Domestically.''

``The government is not aware of such a document,'' Shiozaki told reporters at a regular news conference.Monday December 25, 2006 5:16 AM


By CHISAKI WATANABE

Associated Press Writer

Intentionally leaking ? Bluff?