The 24th United Nations Conference on Disarmament Issues

Shizuoka, Japan, 30 January – 1 February 2013

Ambassador Mari AMANO

Session 1: “Humanitarian Issues and Nuclear Weapons”

Theme: “What role for Japan?”　

Mr. Chairman,

Fellow panellists,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for granting me the opportunity to address the United Nations Conference on Disarmament Issues here in Shizuoka. This is the 24^th conference of this kind, and it gives me great satisfaction to see that it has become a well-established event in my country. Today under the subject of “Humanitarian issues and nuclear weapons” I will be putting forward my ideas on what role Japan should play in this area.

Efforts based on Japan’s experience as the only country to suffer from atomic bombings

Japan is the only country to directly experience the effects of nuclear weapons use in wartime. As the strong determination of the Japanese people, post-war we have consistently been emphasizing the disastrous consequences of the use of nuclear weapons and have been making efforts toward the realization of “a world without nuclear weapons”. For example, in 1968 Japan signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as a non-nuclear-weapon state, despite the difficult conditions of the cold war period. The post-cold war period has seen great instability in terms of the risks of nuclear proliferation, for instance by the collapse at the beginning 1990s of the Soviet Union and the nuclear weapons development by Iraq. More recently, North Korea’s announced withdrawal from the NPT in 2003 created new concerns for the region and the global non-proliferation regime. However, in spite of these developments, Japan still supported the indefinite extension of the NPT at the 1995 Review and Extension Conference and has steadfastly chosen a non-nuclear path. Moreover, since 1994 Japan has submitted annually to the UN General Assembly a nuclear disarmament resolution. This resolution has demonstrated to the international community a concrete way to a nuclear-weapons free world and has enjoyed wide support across many different countries.

Based on this unique historical background, Japan has been making active efforts on disarmament and non-proliferation education as one of the pillars of its nuclear disarmament policy. The objective of disarmament and non-proliferation education is to promote a better understanding of the risks of nuclear weapons proliferation and the devastation caused by their use. We also aim to raise awareness of disarmament and non-proliferation issues and to cultivate the ability to think and act concretely. Specifically, last August Japan organized in cooperation with the United Nations University “the Global Forum on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education” in the City of Nagasaki. The outcome of the Global Forum was issued as “the Nagasaki Declaration”, which displayed a new determination to promote education in this area. Similarly, every year since 1983 we have invited young diplomats from various countries to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki under the UN Disarmament Fellowship Programme for the purpose of sharing with future generations and the global community the knowledge of the devastation caused by nuclear weapons.

In addition to these efforts, in Japan activities are being undertaken not only at the government level, but also at the local and citizen level. Every August peace memorial ceremonies are held in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and in recent times they have even been attended by representatives of nuclear-weapon states. As the atomic bomb victims advance in age, some of them have been travelling the world as Special Communicators for a World without Nuclear Weapons, and passing on to people the testimonies of their experiences of the bombings and the devastation of nuclear arms. The younger generations have also been making efforts. High school students from both Hiroshima and Nagasaki have been voluntarily conducting a signature-gathering campaign for the abolition of nuclear arsenals. Every year these “High School Peace Messengers” have the opportunity of presenting the signatures to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The current state of nuclear disarmament and “the realistic and gradual approach”

It is possible to say that there has been measurable progress on nuclear disarmament in recent years. In addition to the efforts of Japan that I just mentioned and those of many other non-nuclear-weapon states, some nuclear-weapon states have also taken unilateral as well as bilateral disarmament actions. However, at the same time, problems are mounting, such as the North Korean nuclear issue, proliferation concerns in the Middle East, and nuclear possession by non-NPT states. I must say that there are many steps remaining in order to achieve a world without nuclear weapons. Against this backdrop, taking realistic and gradual nuclear disarmament measures is vital in order to realize an international security environment in which nuclear dependence is unnecessary. Consequently, we are of the view that steadily implementing the 2010 NPT Action Plan is of paramount importance, and that taking forward multilateral nuclear disarmament measures is an urgent issue in light of the international security environment. Furthermore, Japan believes that it is essential for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation to progress in parallel. Therefore, we have been urging non-NPT states to join the treaty as non-nuclear weapon states, as well as encouraging states that have not yet signed an additional protocol to do so.

On the other hand, it is extremely regrettable that the Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva, which produced many major multilateral disarmament treaties in the past, has not made progress on nuclear disarmament negotiations since the conclusion of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 1996. In particular, the vast majority of the international community, including Japan, recognizes that the commencement of negotiations on the treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons purposes (otherwise known as the FMCT), which is viewed as the next nuclear disarmament step, is an urgent issue. Thus, in the CD, which started its new annual session last week, Japan strongly desires the adoption of a program of work that starts FMCT negotiations.

On this point, as one effort toward commencing those negotiations, a decision was taken via a resolution adopted last year in the UN General Assembly to establish a group of governmental experts (GGE) on the FMCT. We view this development as a step forward on this issue. As for Japan, we strongly hope substantive discussions that support the commencement of negotiations take place in the GGE. And we are ready to make our own active contribution to these discussions by becoming a GGE member in 2014.

The “humanitarian approach” and nuclear disarmament

While multilateral nuclear disarmament has stagnated for many years, recently a movement emphasizing the humanitarian aspects of nuclear armaments has started to draw attention. At last year’s NPT Preparatory Committee and the First Committee of the UN General Assembly, we heard many countries highlight this dimension.

In disarmament, the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention and the Convention on Cluster Munitions are raised as examples of significant accomplishments that have resulted from a focus on humanitarian concerns. In these fields the wide-spread recognition of the tragic effects caused by the use of inhumane weapons has led to world opinion rapidly seeking a ban, and international agreements setting high-level norms being agreed to and brought into effect.

In the case of nuclear weapons, if a greater number of people understood the inhumanity of their use it would certainly help to improve comprehension of nuclear disarmament and support for progress therein. As a consequence, such a rise in awareness would be beneficial if it promoted momentum towards the total elimination of nuclear arms. Thus, as I mentioned in the beginning, Japan in cooperation with civil society and international organizations has been highlighting the reality of nuclear destruction and putting its strength into disarmament and non-proliferation education.

In contrast, the main cause of the slow progress in international nuclear disarmament cannot be definitively attributed to a lack of knowledge of the inhumane effects of nuclear weapons. Rather, there are a variety of reasons. By looking at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it is patently clear what the consequences of their use are. Nevertheless, the central reason why nuclear weapons have yet to disappear is due to the circumstances of each country’s security policy. Additionally, I believe the special characteristics of nuclear arms – such as their reputation as the ultimate weapon and the limited number of states possessing them – are also relevant to their continued existence. Therefore, if the humanitarian impact of the use of nuclear weapons is over-emphasized and a rapid push for a ban is sought, then practically speaking we might invite the risk of opposition from the nuclear-weapon possessor states, resulting in unproductive discussions. Notwithstanding this, we should always keep in mind the inhumanity of these weapons. But, in order to encourage the nuclear possessor states to abolish their arsenals, Japan thinks an approach that also takes into account the circumstances of the international security environment is the most appropriate. Although it may seem to be the longest path to a world without nuclear weapons, it would actually be the shortest.

Mr. Chairman,

While conveying the realities of war and investing in the future of disarmament through education, the Government of Japan believes that the role and responsibility of Japan as the only country to suffer from nuclear bombings is to promote steady and gradual disarmament based on the actual state of international security. With this in mind, Japan will keep on working for the achievement of a future world without nuclear weapons.

Thank you very much for your attention.