Statement by H.E. Mr. Sumio Tarui

Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Japan

to the Conference on Disarmament

Third Session of the Preparatory Committee

for the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty

on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)

- Cluster I -

Nuclear Disarmament

New York, 6 May 2009

Mr. Chairman,

The nuclear disarmament obligation under Article 6 of the NPT is one of the three major pillars of the Treaty and constitutes a core of the NPT’s grand bargain. In this context, necessity requires that the NPT nuclear-weapon States, as well as the states that have yet to accede to the NPT and that possess nuclear weapons, make broad cutbacks in their nuclear arsenals. Additionally, the whole international community, including the states that possess nuclear weapons and non-nuclear-weapon States, need to forge common norms and comply with them. From this perspective, last month Japanese Foreign Minister Nakasone presented 11 benchmarks that make up three basic areas for promoting global nuclear disarmament towards a world free of nuclear weapons, and I will now introduce the first and second areas, which directly concern the topic of this cluster.

The first area consists of five measures to be taken by all states holding nuclear weapons. First, leadership by the United States and the Russian Federation is indispensable for intensifying momentum towards global nuclear disarmament. In this light, we welcome the commencement of negotiations by the U.S. and Russia on a successor treaty to START I. Through bilateral strategic talks, we hope that both countries quickly conclude their negotiations, make deeper cuts in nuclear warheads and promote confidence-building regarding missile defense in Europe. Second, it will be exceedingly important for the unilateral nuclear disarmament measures by a few countries and the bilateral disarmament process to lead to a multilateral one involving all the states that possess such weapons. With this in mind, the third measure, improving transparency, has become an absolutely critical issue. By increasing transparency on mutual military capabilities, the building of confidence leads to greater regional stability and progress in disarmament. Japan made specific proposals for improving transparency in the working paper that it submitted last year as well as this year, and we strongly urge all states possessing nuclear weapons to disclose information on their arsenals periodically and to the fullest extent, such as the number of their nuclear-weapons and means of delivery in possession, excess fissile material, and other relevant data. The fourth measure points to the importance of measures for irreversible nuclear disarmament and the fifth, to the necessity of research on the future verification of nuclear warhead dismantlement.

The second area consists of three measures to be taken by the international community as a whole. The first of these measures is the early entry into force of the CTBT. Japan is formulating a “programme for the promotion of the entry into force of the CTBT”, and we intend to encourage the prompt ratification of that treaty by the United States, China, the three non-NPT States Parties and the other Annex II countries. The second measure is the early commencement and conclusion of negotiations on an FMCT. Momentum towards FMCT negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament (CD) is increasing. All CD Member States should display maximum flexibility and agree to a programme of work immediately. The third measure is the restriction on ballistic missiles. Japan supports the proposal by the United States and Russia to globalize the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty and the European Union’s proposal of a treaty banning short and intermediate-range ground-to-ground missiles.

Mr. Chairman,

In this manner, all States Parties in relation to Article 6 of the NPT are required to make faithful efforts to achieve a peaceful and safe world free of nuclear weapons. Clearly, the role of the nuclear-weapon States in implementing nuclear disarmament measures, such as the benchmarks presented by us, is enormous. However, the non-nuclear-weapon States too can play a large role through constructive proposals and active involvement in the creation of the global treaties that I have mentioned in this statement, and the promotion of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy while faithfully implementing their non-proliferation obligations. For a world free of nuclear weapons, it is paramount that all the NPT States Parties, regardless of whether they are nuclear or non-nuclear-weapon State, share in this vision and work collectively.

Mr. Chairman,

Japan has submitted to this Preparatory Committee a working paper that includes the 11 benchmarks that I stated before. Additionally, the Government of Japan intends to hold an international meeting on global nuclear disarmament prior to the 2010 NPT Review Conference. We earnestly desire that the concrete efforts by all countries, such as our own, contribute to the success of the 2010 NPT Review Conference and help realize a peaceful and safe world free from nuclear weapons.

I thank you Mr. Chairman.