OPINION: As New START expired, Japan urged to press U.S., Russia on new treaty

The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or New START, which capped the number of strategic nuclear warheads deployed by the United States and Russia at 1,550, has expired, raising concerns as it was the only remaining nuclear disarmament treaty between the two countries.Russia had proposed extending the numerical limits on nuclear weapons for one year even after the treaty's expiration, but the United States did not agree.New START also included provisions for mutual inspections to monitor violations, and its continuation would have been desirable for confidence-building, while at a minimu…READ FULL ARTICLE