(95.08.17)黒河内大使ＣＤ（中国核実験）

　 At the outset, since this is the first time that I take the floor under your presidency, I would like to extend to you my warmest congratulations on your assumption of the presidency of the Conference on Disarmament. I pledge the fullest cooperation and support of my delegation to you in the discharge of your important duties to guide the work of the Conference. At the same time, allow me to extend a heartfelt welcome to all our distinguished colleagues, the Ambassador of South Africa, His Excellency Mr. J.S. Selebi, the Ambassador of India, Her Excellency Ms. Arundhati Ghose, and the Ambassador of Canada, His Excellency Mr. Mark Moher, who recently joined us in our common endeavour.

　 It is with profound regret that I am obliged to make a statement concerning the nuclear test conducted by the People's Republic of China today. While Japan, and indeed the international community as a whole renew our hope for peace and our desire for nuclear disarmament in this year of fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War and the atomic bombing, China again conducted a nuclear weapon test, in addition to that in May this year, despite the agreement that the nuclear weapon States should exercise utmost restraints on the nuclear testing reached at the NPT Review and Extension Conference.

　 Japan attaches a great importance to the ban on nuclear testing as one of the most important tasks in the field of nuclear disarmament, and, therefore, takes it seriously that China conducted yet another nuclear test today despite our repeated calls to halt testing. Japan strongly urges China not to repeat nuclear testing any more. At the same time, it is important that all nuclear weapon States refrain from conducting any nuclear test.

　 On August 11, President Clinton of the United States made an announcement that he supports a true zero-yield Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty which prohibits any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion. Japan wholeheartedly welcomes and highly values this decision as it is in accord with Japan's stance to seek the total ban of nuclear explosions by a CTBT.

　 The fact that the U.S., a nuclear weapon state, made this decision will give a significant impetus to the negotiations on a CTBT for its completion no later than 1996, the undertaking that was agreed at the NPT Review and Extension Conference in May this year. On August 10, the Ambassador of France, His Excellency Mr. Gerard Errera announced in this room that France had decided to adopt the formulation of a CTBT which shall prohibit any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion.

　 It is Japan's strong hope that other nuclear weapon states will immediately take positions of supporting total ban of nuclear test explosions under a CTBT, taking into account the recent decisions of U.S. and France.

　 Japan, too, will make its utmost efforts together with other participating countries toward the completion of the CTBT negotiations in early next year.