# Chinese ambassador: Japan has enough plutonium to make 5,500 nuclear warheads

https://mins.news/en/item/26802

- TASS, 2026-08-20 00:56 UTC
- World
- Original: https://tass.com/world/2175393

> Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui said Japan had 44.4 tons of plutonium extracted from spent nuclear fuel by late 2024, enough for around 5,500 nuclear warheads, with another 191 tons unextracted in storage facilities. He said Japan becoming a nuclear power no longer looked like a fantasy if it had the will and capabilities.

## Related coverage

- [Chinese ambassador urges Japan not to play with fire over nuclear weapons](https://mins.news/en/item/26902) — TASS, 2026-08-20
