Statement by H.E.
Mr. Mari Amano
Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament
At the Second
Session of the Preparatory Committee
for the 2015
Review Conference of NPT
- Cluster III -
Geneva, 30 April 2013
Mr.
Chairman,
The peaceful use of nuclear energy is
one of the three main pillars of the NPT, together with the prevention of
proliferation of nuclear weapons and the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. As a country with almost no indigenous
energy, Japan has highly valued the benefits of nuclear energy and developed
its nuclear industry so diligently for over half a century.
Noting the benefits of peaceful use of
nuclear energy, in this Cluster III, I would like to stress the prosperity
brought about through nuclear sciences and applications to the world and the
importance of international cooperation in this field, and then wish to reiterate
the importance to ensure so-called 3S in the peaceful use of nuclear energy
while touching upon Japan’s policy on nuclear power after the
accident at the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)’s Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station (the
Fukushima Daiichi accident).
Mr.
Chairman,
The
benefits of nuclear sciences and applications for health and other non-power areas
such as cancer treatment, food, agriculture, water resources, and protecting
the environment have become well known today, and the importance of enhanced
access to and usage of these technologies are now shared globally. Japan
believes that international technical cooperation in those areas plays a key
role in achieving the goals outlined in the NPT.
Under
the NPT, all States Parties enjoy the inalienable right to develop research,
production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without
discrimination and in conformity with its Articles I, II and III. Japan emphasizes the importance to
promote international cooperation in this regard.
From
this point of view, Japan highly commends that initiatives by the IAEA Director
General for promoting nuclear applications in such areas as cancer diagnosis
and treatment, water management, food security and safety, and climate change,
have produced tangible outcomes. Japan will remain a strong partner in this
field and continue to support strengthening the IAEA technical cooperation
program in assisting developing countries in the peaceful uses of nuclear
energy. Japan has consistently paid
its financial share to the IAEA Technical Cooperation Fund (TCF) in full since
the foundation of the TCF. Japan
urges other IAEA Member States to do the same.
Japan
also supports the Peaceful Uses Initiative (PUI) of the IAEA. Japan has been making a contribution of
3.5 million US dollars to the PUI every year since 2011 and intends to make a
contribution of the same amount in the current fiscal year. We encourage all countries in a position
to do so to make contributions to this valuable initiative.
Mr.
Chairman,
Following
the Fukushima Daiichi accident, Japan has made significant reforms to its
regulatory system for nuclear energy.
With the strong determination never to have an accident like the
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster again, in September 2012, the Nuclear
Regulation Authority was founded to implement safety regulations from an
independent point of view, separating the regulatory body from the
administrative body in charge of promoting the use of nuclear power. The Nuclear Regulation Authority will
formulate new regulatory requirements based on the lessons learned from the
accident, continue to improve the standards and ensure the country’s nuclear
safety.
Under
the new administration, Japan will set out responsible energy policies that
take into account a range of the perspectives, including stable energy supply
and energy cost reduction, while fulfilling Japan’s responsibilities for
non-proliferation and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy towards the
international community.
Due
to the high energy demand worldwide and the need to mitigate the carbon
emissions, the growth in nuclear power in the world, particularly in the
developing world, is still continuing.
The latest estimation of the IAEA shows that the world’s installed
nuclear power capacity will grow from 369 gigawatts as
of end of 2011 to 456 GW(e) in 2030 in low projection and 740 GW(e) in high
projection. It is clear that the
nuclear energy remains one of the important parts in the global energy
portfolio.
In this
context, reaffirming the significance of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy,
Japan looks forward to a success of the International Ministerial Conference on
Nuclear Power in the 21st Century to be held in Saint Petersburg, Russian
Federation in June this year. The
Conference will be a great opportunity for countries to discuss the uses of the
nuclear power.
Mr.
Chairman,
While
noting the growing interests in developing nuclear power, we would like to
stress that international cooperation on safeguards, nuclear safety and
security—so called the “3S”—have become more important than ever. Countries that benefit from the uses of
nuclear power bear enormous responsibilities for ensuring the 3S. The safeguards
issues were discussed in the Cluster II and here I will focus on safety and security.
The
Fukushima Daiichi accident reminded us of the utmost importance of nuclear
safety. A variety of efforts have been made all over the world to strengthen
nuclear safety following the accident. Among them is the IAEA Action Plan on
Nuclear Safety which was unanimously adopted by the IAEA General Conference in
September 2011. The Action Plan
will remain a significant cornerstone in a continuous improvement of nuclear
safety worldwide. Japan commits
itself to the implementation of the Action Plan and encourages all countries to
make every effort to address the issues identified in the Action Plan.
Japan held
the Fukushima Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety in December 2012 in
co-sponsorship with the IAEA. The
Conference was to provide yet another opportunity to share with the
international community further knowledge and lessons learned from the accident
and to discuss the progress of international efforts aimed at strengthening
nuclear safety. We believe that the
conference contributed to strengthening nuclear safety worldwide. Japan, as the
country which has experienced the Fukushima Daiichi accident, will continue to
share knowledge and lessons learned from the accident for further enhancement
of nuclear safety worldwide.
The
Fukushima Daiichi accident also reminded us of the importance of nuclear
security. From this viewpoint, the
Government of Japan has amended the relevant national regulations to translate into
its national practice the most updated recommendations on physical protection
contained in the IAEA INFCIRC/225/Rev.5 document, together with lessons derived
from the Fukushima Daiichi accident.
In addition, the newly established Nuclear Regulation Authority has been
working to further enhance our nuclear security.
At the
same time, for its contribution to the strengthening of global nuclear
security, Japan continues to provide further assistance to other countries
through activities of the "Integrated Support Center for Nuclear
Non-proliferation and Nuclear Security." Japan is also eager to contribute to the
success of the IAEA International Conference on Nuclear Security to be held in
Vienna in July this year and the Nuclear Security Summit to be held in The
Hague next March. In this regard,
Japan recognizes that the Amendment to the Convention on the Physical
Protection of Nuclear Material will bring important changes to global nuclear
security, and will accelerate the process to conclude it.
Mr.
Chairman,
Japan
will continue to work together with the international community to make every
effort to promote and ensure the peaceful uses of nuclear energy in a safe and
sustainable manner.
Thank
you.
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