First Session of the Preparatory Committee
for the 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty
on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
- Cluster I -
Vienna, 3 May 2012
Mr. Chairman,
Looking over the international developments in
the field of nuclear disarmament since the NPT Review Conference in 2010, there
have been a number of achievements.
Notably, during this time the two states with the largest nuclear
arsenals, the United States and the Russian Federation, ratified the New START
Treaty and France and the United Kingdom announced unilateral nuclear
reductions. Japan welcomes the voluntary
measures by these nuclear-weapon states and encourages them to continue to make
progress in nuclear disarmament.
In order to realize a world without
nuclear weapons, however, it is indispensable for the nuclear-weapon states to
make disarmament efforts in good faith on a multilateral basis as required by
Article VI of the NPT. In the agreed
Action Plan of the 2010 Review Conference, the nuclear-weapon states are called
upon to honor their unequivocal undertaking to accomplish the total elimination
of their nuclear arsenals and to make further efforts to reduce all types of
nuclear weapons. Action 5 is
particularly significant as it calls for the nuclear-weapon states to
accelerate concrete progress on the steps leading to nuclear disarmament and to
report their undertakings by the 2014 Preparatory Committee. All the nuclear-weapon states are urged to fulfill this commitment.
Pending the realization of multilateral and global nuclear disarmament, Japan appeals
to all states possessing nuclear weapons to make an early commitment to
reducing, or at least not increasing their nuclear holdings.
Mr. Chairman,
When
implementing nuclear disarmament measures, applying the principles of irreversibility, verifiability, and transparency is
critical. Amongst these principles,
ensuring transparency is vital as a confidence-building measure for creating
the basis of a stable global security environment. In this respect, Japan regards Action 21 as a
significant and landmark step which encourages all the nuclear-weapon
states to agree as soon as possible on a standard reporting form as a
confidence-building measure.
In
this connection, the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI) developed a proposal for such a reporting form and shared
it with the nuclear-weapon states. We
have also submitted that reporting form to this PrepCom
which is attached to our working paper entitled “Transparency of nuclear
weapons.” Japan hopes that the NPDI’s
input contributes to agreement by the nuclear-weapon states on a
standard reporting form and to appropriate reporting intervals.
Additional
to transparency, the principle of irreversibility is also very important. Based on Action 16, it is requested that all
the nuclear-weapon states declare to the IAEA all fissile material designated
by each of them as no longer required for military purposes and place such
material as soon as practicable under IAEA or other relevant international
verification and arrangements. As such,
Japan welcomes the recent U.S.-Russian Plutonium Management Disposition
Agreement.
Mr. Chairman,
On
our path to a world without nuclear weapons, Japan recognizes a fissile
material cut-off treaty (FMCT) as the next logical step. Action 15 urges the Conference on Disarmament
to immediately begin negotiation of such a treaty. However, despite all the efforts of the CD
member states, as yet there is regrettably no
emerging prospect of this occurring.
While continuing efforts to commence negotiations in the CD, Japan
believes it is necessary to consider options that will lead to the start of
FMCT negotiations.
In
the meantime, until the entry into force of an FMCT, Japan calls upon all the
states possessing nuclear weapons to declare and maintain a moratorium on the production of fissile materials for
nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.
Mr. Chairman,
The
entry into force of the CTBT is important as a practical and concrete step
towards achieving a nuclear weapon free world.
Japan would like to take this opportunity to welcome the ratification of
the CTBT by Indonesia in February 2012.
We have seized every occasion to urge all
non-states parties, particularly the Annex II states, to promptly sign and
ratify the CTBT, and we intend to continue these activities. Furthermore, we urge all the states
possessing nuclear weapons to declare a moratorium on nuclear testing and call
upon all states to refrain from any further tests pending the entry into force
of the Treaty.
Mr. Chairman,
To overcome the challenges to
disarmament and non-proliferation, the support and understanding of civil
society and the younger generations is essential. Japan attaches high value to disarmament and
non-proliferation education and we have been proactive in this field. The inclusion of Action 22 into the 2010 NPT
Final Document was an important milestone since it encourages
all states to
implement the recommendations contained in the report of the UN
Secretary-General regarding the United Nations study on disarmament and
non-proliferation education. In this
regard, we urge States Parties to report to the UN Secretary General their
implementation of the recommendations as called for by the UN General Assembly
resolution on disarmament and non-proliferation education. On this subject, Japan has submitted a working
paper to this PrepCom with its NPDI partners as well
as one with Austria separately. Additionally, in order to advance further
collaboration with international organizations and civil society, Japan has
decided to jointly hold with the United Nations University “the Global Forum on
Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education” in the City of Nagasaki from 10 to
11 August this year. Through this forum,
we aim to promote common understanding of the importance of disarmament and
non-proliferation education and cooperation among various actors, which it is
hoped will lead to further developments in this field.
Mr. Chairman,
Japan is fully committed to
achieving a peaceful and secure world free of nuclear weapons. Having experienced the tragedy caused by the
atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it is our strong conviction that
nuclear weapons must never be used again.
It is with this in mind that Japan intends to continue to steadily
promote practical steps and effective measures towards the total elimination of
nuclear weapons.
Thank you.