STATEMENT BY H.E. MR. ICHITA YAMAMOTO
STATE SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF JAPAN
AT THE 2000 NPT REVIEW CONFERENCE
New York, April 24, 2000

Mr. President,
Mr. Secretary-General
Distinguished delegates,

　　　On behalf of the Government and people of Japan, I have the honor to extend to you, Mr. President, my heartfelt congratulations on your assumption of the presidency of the NPT Review Conference. The Japanese delegation will spare no effort to cooperate with you as you discharge your important duties.

　　In his statement at the previous NPT Review and Extension Conference in 1995, Foreign Minister Yohei Kono urged the representatives of the countries assembled there "to consider and assess the roles which the NPT has played in the areas of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, nuclear disarmament and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, not only from the standpoint of our respective countries, but also from the perspective of the future of humankind and of the planet on which we live." Minister Kono also stated that, "with concern over nuclear proliferation greater than ever before, it is essential to ensure that the basic framework of nuclear non-proliferation is as strong as possible". With this statement, Japan expressed its resolute support for the indefinite extension of the Treaty.

　　The NPT has made a tremendous contribution to international peace and security. I believe the indefinite extension of the Treaty and Japan's decision to support it were the right choice both for the international community as a whole and for Japan. Since then, the universality of the Treaty has been enhanced by the accession of nine additional countries for a total of 187 States Parties.

Mr. President,

　　At the NPT Review and Extension Conference in 1995, decisions were taken on "strengthening the review process for the Treaty", and on the "Principles and Objectives for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament", and the resolution on the Middle East was adopted. It was also decided to extend the Treaty indefinitely. These achievements gave the international community a reason to hope that concrete measures for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament would be taken through the active and concerted efforts of all the States Parties, especially the nuclear weapon states. This hope was bolstered when the United States and Russia agreed upon deep reductions of strategic nuclear warheads at their bilateral summit meeting in Helsinki in 1997, and when both France and the United Kingdom made unilateral decisions to reduce their respective nuclear arsenals. There has been other encouraging progress including the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in 1996.

　　Recently, however, nuclear non-proliferation has clearly suffered a setback due to several events, namely, the nuclear tests conducted in South Asia; the delay in the CTBT's entry-into-force even after three and a half years since it was opened for signature; the failure to commence the Cut-Off treaty negotiations despite the agreement to do so at the Geneva Conference on Disarmament in 1995; and, the launching of missiles by several countries. The report of the Tokyo Forum which was organized at the initiative of the Japanese Government and in which world-renowned experts participated, summarized the current adverse trends by stating that nuclear non-proliferation was "under siege".

　　In the face of these unfavorable circumstances, this Review Conference is all the more important. In spite of the end of the Cold War which showed the promise of a bright future for humankind, whether the last decade of the twentieth century ends leaving us in this unstable situation or gives us hope for the twenty-first century depends entirely upon our own wisdom and our own will. We are therefore required to orchestrate our efforts to fulfill that promise. This meeting is the first Review Conference since the NPT was indefinitely extended, and is considered a touchstone as to whether the NPT can preserve and even enhance its credibility and its universality. Japan therefore strongly reaffirms the need for the early realization of the Principles and Objectives that were decided on in 1995.

　　I cannot but note, with regret, that these objectives have not been fully achieved; indeed, they are not even being achieved. Taking into account the developments that have occurred in the past five years, Japan intends to make a proposal to the States Parties on several specific points which are essential to the full and expeditious implementation of the Principles and Objectives of 1995 and to full compliance with the NPT.

　　In order to maintain and consolidate the NPT regime, it is also important to strengthen the review process for the Treaty in accordance with the 1995 decision. In light of the failure of the Preparatory Committee to achieve satisfactory results in the course of three meetings, I would like to call for a discussion of ways in which the work of the Preparatory Committee could be made more effective. Japan will present a specific proposal on this issue as well.

Mr. President,

　　As the sole country to have suffered the devastating effects of atomic bombings, Japan's policy to promote nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation was originally motivated by the harsh experiences of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan's commitment to the NPT is vehemently and overwhelmingly supported by the Japanese people. The Treaty in fact is a basis of Japan's national security. In 1994, Japan introduced to the United Nations General Assembly a resolution calling for "nuclear disarmament with a view to the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons", and every year since then, the resolution has been adopted by an overwhelming majority, including the nuclear weapon states. This demonstrates that the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons has been accepted around the globe as a common goal of humankind.

　　The most basic objective of this Conference is to have all the States Parties renew their commitment to the NPT and reaffirm their unwavering determination to make step-by-step progress toward the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Mr. President,

　　The nuclear tests conducted by India and Pakistan in May 1998 awakened the world to the reality that nuclear proliferation had reached a new and dangerous stage. These nuclear tests not only altered qualitatively the security landscape in South Asia but also posed a grave threat to the NPT regime which has been a cornerstone of the international security for the past thirty years. I would like to stress that these tests cannot be condoned. The tests by India and Pakistan underscored the need to redouble the global effort to make the nuclear non-proliferation regime more effective. First of all, we, as States Parties to the NPT, should call upon those states which have not yet acceded to the Treaty to do so at the earliest date possible. It is also important to ensure full compliance with the Treaty by all the States Parties. This will require that the IAEA full-scope safeguards be accepted in all respects by all the states concerned, and that the universality of the additional protocol to strengthen the safeguards be increased. Japan, having taken the lead in concluding this additional protocol, now calls upon other countries to accept it at an early date.

Mr. President,

　　Acceptance of the indefinite extension of the NPT by all the States Parties has made the responsibility of the nuclear weapon States to advance nuclear disarmament as stipulated in Article VI of the Treaty, all the more significant. It is only natural that those States that have abandoned forever the option of possessing nuclear weapons demand that the nuclear weapon States make more vigorous disarmament efforts. Japan recognizes the difficulty of pursuing disarmament while maintaining strategic stability in a dramatically changing security environment with rapid missile proliferation. Having said this, however, we call upon the nuclear weapon States to faithfully take the following measures, taking into account their special responsibility.

　　First, Japan welcomes Russia's recent ratification of START II as an encouraging step, and calls upon it and the United States to commence negotiations on START III at the earliest date possible, while working for the full implementation of START II. Indeed, we encourage them to continue their efforts to take deeper reductions in their nuclear warheads beyond START III. Second, Japan highly evaluates the unilateral reductions in nuclear weapons by France and the United Kingdom. In addition, Japan believes it important to ensure these reductions by the nuclear weapon states are irreversible. Third, as long as the U.S.-Russia nuclear disarmament process continues, the other nuclear weapon States should further reduce, or, at least refrain from building up their nuclear arsenals. I strongly hope that the five nuclear weapon States will build upon the progress that has been made so far and enter into nuclear disarmament talks at an early date.

Mr. President,

　　I would next like to touch upon the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty, two important pillars of the NPT regime.
　 a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty, two important pillars of the NPT regime.
　　　Japan chaired the Conference on Facilitating the Entry-into-Force of the CTBT held in Vienna last October, and has taken the initiative of sending high-level missions to thcountries that have not yet ratified or even signed the Treaty in order to persuade them to do so as early as possible. Japan has also urged like-minded countries to take concerted actions on this issue. I myself visited the United States, India, and Pakistan last October, and China last February, and had the honor of meeting ministers and senior officials of those countries to ask for the early ratification of the CTBT. Global efforts on this matter have been rewarded with the recent ratifications by Lithuania, Turkey, Bangladesh, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Chile, and, in addition, Russian Duma's adoption of the bill for the CTBT ratification last week. Japan highly appreciates their decisions. Though it is already more than three and a half years since the CTBT was opened for signature, key countries, including the United States and China, have not yet ratified it. Early ratification by those countries is crucial. In addition, Japan calls for the continued moratorium on nuclear tests pending the entry- into-force of this treaty.

　　Inasmuch as a Cut-Off Treaty is expected to become another important pillar of the NPT regime, it is extremely regrettable that there is little prospect for the commencement of negotiations on it, despite the agreement at the Conference on Disarmament in 1995. All the countries concerned are required to show maximum flexibility and a spirit of cooperation and compromise so that the negotiations at the Conference on Disarmament can begin without further delay. I also devoutly hope that all the nuclear weapon States and the countries that have not accepted the IAEA full-scope safeguards will observe a moratorium on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons.

Mr. President,

　　Japan has promoted the development and use of nuclear energy in order to secure a stable energy supply and to reduce the level of greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, Japan has committed itself to maintain as far as possible transparency in its nuclear fuel cycle policy, particularly, in its use of plutonium.

　　In the field of peaceful uses of nuclear energy, international cooperation in accordance with the NPT should be further expanded among the States Parties. Japan is actively engaged in international cooperative efforts. For instance, it extends financial and technical support to developing countries through Technical Cooperation Fund and the Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research and Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology, both of which are under the aegis of the IAEA.

　　To enhance such international cooperation both qualitatively and quantitatively, it is important to erase all fears of nuclear proliferation by further strengthening the international non-proliferation regime. The Additional Protocol to the Safeguards Agreement must be accepted by all the nations which are committed to promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. To our regret, however, only eight countries, including Japan, have ratified the Additional Protocol to date.

　　The work to integrate the strengthened safeguards under the Additional Protocol into the current safeguards under the NPT needs to be accelerated. Concrete steps must therefore be taken to promote the universal acceptance of the Additional Protocol. I would like to take this opportunity to propose that an international action plan be developed toward that end.

Mr. President,

　　The twentieth century which witnessed the two world wars of unprecedented destructiveness, is now coming to an end. However, it seems that our critical task of eliminating the nuclear weapons that were produced in the twentieth century will be passed on to the twenty-first century. Determined to ensure that nuclear weapons will never be used again, Japan, the only country to have suffered atomic bombings, has held fast to its three non-nuclear principles of not possessing nuclear weapons, not producing them, and not permitting their introduction into Japan. With a new century just around the corner, Japan will continue to contribute to world peace and prosperity by working relentlessly for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation with the ultimate goal of achieving a world free of nuclear weapons. But, Japan's efforts must be coordinated with those of the entire international community if they are to bear fruit. I therefore strongly appeal to all the countries represented here today to unite under a common banner, and work for the enhancement of international security by maintaining and strengthening the NPT regime and for the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons.

　　Thank you very much.