Mr. President,
Distinguished
representatives,
Ladies and
gentlemen,
At the outset, I
would like to congratulate you, Ambassador Vinicio Mati, on your assumption of the Presidency of the Conference on Disarmament (CD). I assure you the full
support and cooperation of my delegation throughout your tenure. I also would
like to express my gratitude to Acting Secretary General, Mr. Michael Møller, and his team for their continuous support to the
work of the Conference. Japan centers disarmament as one of the pillars to its foreign
policy and, for that reason, it is a great honor for me to have today’s opportunity
to address here.
Mr. President,
It is regrettable
that this distinguished body, which produced the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC),
Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT),
remains mired in an 18-year standstill. In order to meet expectations of the
people worldwide for a safer world free of nuclear weapons, the CD must end its
stalemate as quickly as possible and restart fulfilling its mandate.
Despite its
deadlock, the importance itself of the Conference has not yet ended over the years.
On top of bilateral nuclear reduction by the Russian Federation and the United States
and unilateral measures taken by the United Kingdom and France, it is very important
to push the multilateral disarmament negotiation forward by reflecting the
voices of non-nuclear weapon States. This is why the CD is unique and can still
play a crucial role. Japan will spare no effort to break through this impasse
as one of the six Presidencies this year.
At the same time, I
look forward to the launch of work by the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE)
on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) which will meet for the first time
here in Geneva at the end of this month. In parallel with its effort in the CD,
Japan is ready to make constructive contributions in the GGE to produce
tangible outcomes which could serve as a basis for future negotiations.
Overcoming the challenges
currently surrounding us in disarmament and non-proliferation efforts, I would
like to stress that it is especially important for all States to deepen
engagement and involvement at the political level.
Mr. President,
Now, please allow
me to touch upon Japan’s basic view and policy. In January this year, Minister
for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. Fumio Kishida
delivered a speech on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation policy in
Nagasaki. In his address, Minister Kishida explained Japan’s
position that nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts should be built
upon the following two notions. First, we should have a clear understanding of
humanitarian aspect of nuclear weapons as a point of departure for these
efforts. Second, we should objectively assess the reality of today’s
international community facing the increasingly diverse nuclear risks. From
these two understandings, we conclude that steady but tireless efforts to build
up practical and concrete measures are actually the shortest path to achieve
our common goal.
Along with my Foreign
Minister, I am also ready to work earnestly for progress in this area, and it
is indeed for that reason that I am here at the CD. I particularly believe that
raising awareness among the younger generation is important to further promote
nuclear disarmament.
In this regard,
Japan established “Youth Communicators for a World without Nuclear Weapons” in
June last year and twenty-three students have already been assigned to this
title. In November, as an outcome from the program called the “Saitama City
Student Presentation on International Issues”, I received valuable
recommendations on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation from the Japanese
high school students. To keep momentum, I hope such efforts by the younger
generation will spread over the world.
Mr. President,
As I stated earlier
in my remarks, political engagement is indispensable to the success of our
efforts here. Hence, twelve cross-regional members of the Non-proliferation and
Disarmament Initiative or NPDI, including my own country, are committed to the
group’s activities at the minister level. The NPDI is an action-oriented group
putting forward concrete proposals such as a draft standard reporting form on
transparency of nuclear weapons.
On 11th
and 12th April, the NPDI Ministers will meet in Hiroshima. Japan
intends to have the Ministers directly see and sense the realities caused by the
bombings during the course of the meeting. They will exchange views on various
issues, including on nuclear disarmament in the post New START, transparency,
and the humanitarian aspect of nuclear weapons, and aim to present useful
proposals to the Third Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2015 NPT
Review Conference.
Mr. President,
As the only country
ever to have suffered nuclear bombings, Japan knows from its own experience the
catastrophic humanitarian consequences from the use of nuclear weapons. Thus,
Japan has actively contributed to the discussion on this issue.
I would like to
reiterate that in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts, a clear
understanding of humanitarian consequences caused by the use of nuclear weapons
should underpin any kind of approach in nuclear disarmament. In other words,
the humanitarian aspect of disarmament should function as a driving force for
our efforts in a way inclusive and open to all States toward a world free of
nuclear weapons.
In 2015, we will
commemorate the 70th year since the atomic bombs were dropped in
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I also invite all colleagues to visit the Permanent
Exhibition on the Atomic Bombings located in the Palais
des Nations, at the end of the ground floor of Building E. It is my sincere
desire that the steady implementation of realistic and practical disarmament
measures, including through substantive work of the CD and the next NPT Review
Conference, will achieve a step forward to “a world free of nuclear weapons”.
I thank you, Mr.
President.