Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Adoption of the Draft Resolution on Nuclear Disarmament by Japan to the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly

October 27, 2006

The Government of Japan welcomes and highly values the fact that its draft resolution on nuclear disarmament "Renewed determination towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons" was adopted on October 27 (Fri) (New York time: October 26 (Thu)), at the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly by an overwhelming majority. In this year's resolution, in particular, there was a paragraph condemning the nuclear test proclaimed by North Korea on October 9 (Mon). Japan believes the political will of the international community was again expressed in this resolution, following Resolution 1718 adopted on October 14 (Sat).
Since no substantial agreement was achieved at the 2005 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in May 2005, and there still remain nuclear issues with both North Korea and Iran, it must be said that the recent international situation surrounding nuclear disarmament continues to be challenging. In this situation, Japan, as the only nation in the world to have suffered atomic bombing, inspired by the strong national sentiment calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons, and based on its basic position that places great importance on aiming at a peaceful and safe world free from nuclear weapons through the steady continuation of a practical and incremental approach, submitted this draft resolution. This draft resolution won overwhelming support from the international community.
Japan intends to pursue its various diplomatic efforts to maintain and consolidate the international disarmament and non-proliferation regime based on the NPT.

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