International Cooperation
Japan's Stance on Nuclear Non-Proliferation
and the Promotion of Nuclear Disarmament
Being the only country ever to have experienced nuclear devastation, Japan wholeheartedly hopes that the horror of nuclear weapons shall never again be repeated. While firmly maintaining its three non-nuclear principles, Japan believes that it is essential to positively promote nuclear disarmament towards the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons.
Japan welcomes recent positive developments in the field of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, such as agreements on nuclear disarmament between the United States of America and the Russian Federation and the decision to indefinitely extend the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, as well as the Decisions on Strengthening the Review Process for the Treaty and on the Principles and Objectives for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament. As an important step for nuclear disarmament, renewed efforts should be made to complete negotiations on a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in the carly stages of 1996. Japan, with a firm political will and together with other countries, will make its utmost efforts to attain this crucially important goal.
It is extremely regrettable that China and France are conducting nuclear tests, despite serious international efforts toward the total ban on nuclear testing. Convinced that the nuclear weapon States, which are accorded a special status under the NPT, have an obligation to respond to the trust in them shown by the non-nuclear weapon States, Japan consistently calls for the immediate suspension of nuclear testing and calls on all nuclear weapon States to promote further disarmament.
Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, in his Policy Speech to the 134th Session of the Diet, given on 29 September 1995, stated Japan's position:
Another priority issue for the international community following the end of the Cold War is the promotion of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. With the decisions this May to extend the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty indefinitely and on the principles and objectives for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, Japan, as the only country to have suffered nuclear attack, will continue to strongly call upon all nuclear weapon States to make serious efforts for nuclear disarmament toward the ultimate elimination of all nuclear weapons. It is extremely regrettable that china and France have conducted nuclear tests at this time when the nuclear weapon States are expected to exercise the utmost restraint in testing. Japan will continue to strongly call for the cessation of nuclear testing in various international fora and will make maximum efforts for the conclusion of negotiations on a Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty at an early stage next year.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Yohei Kono also took the opportunity of his speech at the 50th session of the United Nations General Assembly to comment on this matter.
In this year marking the 50th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan welcomed the decision to indefinitely extend the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which it regards as an important means of strengthening the basis of the non-proliferation regime and as a significant step toward the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons.
As an important step toward nuclear disarmament, renewed efforts should be made to complete negotiations on a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty by next Spring and to sign it by the fall of 1996, at the latest. Japan, with a firm political will and together with other countries, will do its utmost to attain this crucially important goal. As for the scope of the prohibitions against nuclear testing in the treaty, we heartily welcome the announcements by France, the United States and the United Kingdom indicating their support for a total ban on all nuclear testing, and hope that the other nuclear weapon States will likewise adopt that position without delay. I should like to reiterate here the proposal which I made in my address to this body last year that once the treaty is concluded, the signing ceremony be held in Japan.
I cannot but express my profound regret that certain countries are conducting nuclear tests, immediately after the indefinite extension of the NPT was approved unanimously by the States Parities to the treaty and just as the international community has begun to make further progress toward a "nuclear-free world," I should like on this occasion to reaffirm that the nuclear weapon States, which are accorded a special status under the NPT, have an obligation to respond to the trust shown in them by non-nuclear weapon States by engaging in genuine nuclear disarmament efforts. Japan has consistently called for the suspension of nuclear testing, and at this session of the General Assembly intends to sponsor a draft resolution calling for the cessation of nuclear testing. I hope that it receives the support and cooperation of all Member States.
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