China claims Japan has plutonium enough for 5,500 nuclear weapons

China has expressed concern regarding Japan's nuclear capabilities, claiming the nation possesses approximately 44.4 tons of separated plutonium. Zhang Hanhui, the Chinese Ambassador to Russia, stated in an interview with the TASS news agency that this quantity of material could theoretically be used to produce about 5,500 nuclear weapons.

While the figure represents a theoretical calculation based on available material rather than an actual count of existing weapons, the claim highlights Japan's technical ability to reprocess spent nuclear fuel to extract plutonium. According to the ambassador, Japan held roughly 44.4 tons of separated plutonium by the end of 2024, with an additional 191 tons still contained within spent nuclear fuel.

Japan maintains an official policy of not developing nuclear weapons and remains a participant in the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. The remarks come amid heightened strategic competition and security tensions in East Asia involving China, Japan, and North Korea.