Please allow me, at the outset, to express my sincere appreciation for your presiding over this Conference and for the commendable effort you have made towards its preparation

STATEMENT BY H.E. DR. KUNIKO INOGUCHI

AMBASSADOR OF JAPAN

TO THE CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT

FOURTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE STATES PARTIES

TO AMENDED PROTOCOL II TO THE CONVENTION ON PROHIBITIONS

OR RESTRICTIONS ON THE USE OF CERTAIN CONVENTIONAL

WEAPONS WHICH MAY BE DEEMED TO BE

EXCESSIVELY INJURIOUS OR TO HAVE INDISCRIMINATE EFFECTS

Geneva, 11 December 2002

Mr. President,

Distinguished delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure for me to make some remarks, on behalf of the Government of Japan, at this Annual Conference of the States Parties to the Amended Protocol II to the CCW.

Mr. President,

Please allow me, at the outset, to express my sincere appreciation for your presiding over this Conference and for the commendable effort you have made towards its preparation. You can be assured of my delegation’s full support under your guidance. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the staff members of the UN Secretariat for all their hard work to ensure the efficient and smooth proceeding of this Conference.

Mr. President,

It is important, from a humanitarian perspective, that all States parties adopt the high standards of detectability for anti-personnel mines, as well as the requirement for self-destruction and self-deactivation mechanisms for remotely-delivered anti-personnel mines, as stipulated by the Amended Protocol II. It is also significant that this Protocol prohibits States parties from transferring banned mines.

Since the Amended Protocol II was adopted in 1996 as a significant outcome of the First Review Conference of the CCW, it has been ratified by 69 countries. Japan welcomes all new member States to the Amended Protocol, and congratulates them on their worthwhile decision, whilst urging other States to follow suit. In addition, let me stress the importance of full compliance with the provisions of the Amended Protocol by all States parties.

The Amended Protocol II complements the Ottawa Convention in its international efforts to eradicate human suffering caused by anti-personnel landmines. It takes into account the broad security interests of States parties, and therefore enjoys the membership of a wide range of States. Certain States, including those possessing a significant amount of landmines, have not yet acceded to the Ottawa Convention due to various security reasons. Amended Protocol II provides those States with a practical approach to address mine-related humanitarian concerns.

Mr. President,

Japan is fully committed to implementing the Ottawa Convention. It is now ratified by more than 130 States, demonstrating that a great majority of nations have declared their firm determination to completely abolish anti-personnel landmines, and are currently engaged in carrying out their commitments. Japan has become a co-rapporteur of the Standing Committee of the Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action Technologies. We regard both the Ottawa Convention and the Amended Protocol II as important pillars which reinforce global efforts to address the problems of anti-personnel landmines.

Japan has, for the past years, endeavored to achieve the objective of “Zero Victims”. In order to achieve this goal, over the five-year period beginning in 1998, the Government of Japan pledged a financial contribution to mine actions of 10 billion yen, or approximately 90 million US dollars. In October 2002, two months before the end of the five-year period, Japan fulfilled this pledge and has now exceeded that figure. We have provided assistance to 25 affected countries and regions in support of their mine action activities, including mine clearance, victim assistance, and mine awareness education.

Japan will continue to make utmost efforts in this regard.

Thank you.