Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Poison Gas Accident in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China

June 27, 2005

1. As a result of a survey made by a team dispatched from Japan to investigate the poison gas accident that occurred on June 21 in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province in China, it was proved on June 26 that the accident had been caused by a chemical weapon of Japan's now-defunct Army.
2. It is very regrettable that such an accident should have happened and the Government of Japan sincerely expresses its heartfelt sympathy to those injured.
3. Japan intends to do its utmost to further accelerate the disposal of dangerously abandoned chemical weapons so that such an accident will not take place again. As Japan has been consulting with the Chinese side for its quick responses so as to construct disposal facilities in Haerba Ling, Jilin Province, where a large amount of chemical weapons are said to be buried, it will take appropriate measures in cooperation with China in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention.

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