Delegation of Japan to the CD: Conference on Disarmament: Overview

Delegation’s Statements

Characteristics	In 1979, the Conference on Disarmament (CD) was established as the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international community, following the first Special Session on Disarmament (SSOD I) of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The CD is independent of other international organizations, but the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) functions as the CD’s Secretariat. All decisions of the CD are adopted by consensus among its member states.
States Parties	Currently, the membership consists of 65 countries. Japan's participation in the work of the CD began in 1979. The members are grouped into four regional groups: the Western Group of 25 countries (Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States); the Eastern European Group of 6 countries (Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Romania, Russian Federation, Ukraine); the G21 Group of 33 countries (Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, DPR Korea, Democratic Rep. of Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zimbabwe); and China.
Term	The CD's annual session is divided into three parts. 2016 Schedule: Part 1 - 25 January ~ 1 April Part 2 - 16 May ~ 1 July Part 3 - 2 August ~ 16 September
Presidency	Each member state, in alphabetical order, serves a four week term. (Presidents of 2016: Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Republic of Korea)
Activities	The work of the Conference primarily takes place during the weekly plenary meetings. Each year an agenda and program of work is adopted in the plenary meetings, and activities are based upon these documents. A report on these activities is submitted to the UN General Assembly annually.
Core Agenda Items	1) Nuclear Disarmament 2) Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) 3) Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS) 4) Negative Security Assurances (NSA)
Past Achievements	Important disarmament Treaties produced by the Conference on Disarmament: Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) (1968) Biological and Toxin Weapons Conventions (BWC) (1972) Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) (1993) Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) (1996)
Current State of Play	Since negotiating the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban (CTBT) in 1996, the CD has been unable to commence substantive negotiations on any further disarmament-related Treaties or instruments. In 2009, a programme of work (CD/1864) was adopted by consensus, and although there was agreement on recommencing substantive activities, including negotiations on a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons purposes or other nuclear explosive devices (FMCT), consensus could not be reached on the necessary decisions (work schedule, rotation of special coordinators of working groups, etc.) for implementing that programme of work. This state of paralysis continues to date.