Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the New Participation of Estonia, Lithuania, Malta and China in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)

May 28, 2004

The Government of Japan welcomes the approval of Estonia, Lithuania, Malta and China as new Participating Governments to the NSG by the Plenary Meeting of the NSG held in Sweden on May 27 (Thu).
Japan strongly hopes that the international export controls of nuclear-related material, equipment, and technology will be strengthened and the nuclear non-proliferation regime will be further reinforced by the new participation of these four countries including China, a nuclear-weapon State, in the NSG.

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