Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Adoption of Japan's Draft Resolution on Small Arms and Light Weapons at the Plenary Session of the United Nations General Assembly

December 9, 2005

The Government of Japan welcomes the fact that a draft resolution concerning illicit trade in small arms and light weapons jointly submitted by Japan, Colombia and South Africa was adopted by consensus at the Plenary Session of the United Nations General Assembly on December 8 (Thu) (Japan time: December 9 (Fri)) in New York.
Japan is convinced that the international community should tackle in concert the issue of small arms and light weapons, in order to remove an obstacle to post-conflict humanitarian and rehabilitation assistance. With this recognition, Japan submitted small arms and light weapons draft resolutions almost every year, setting out a course for solving the problem, since the then UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Gali raised the issue of small arms and light weapons in the international community in 1995. This year's resolution includes encouraging all initiatives for a successful conclusion of the United Nations Conference to review progress made in the implementation of the "Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects", scheduled to be held next year, calling upon all states to implement the international instrument on tracing, and establishing a group of governmental experts on brokering. The resolution has won wide support from the international community as contributing to addressing the small arms and light weapons issue.
The Government of Japan intends to pursue its efforts to prevent the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.

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