The 10th Japan-China Consultation on Disarmament and Non-proliferation (Overview)

January 14, 2011
Japanese

On Friday, January 14, 2011, the 10th Japan-China Consultation on Disarmament and Non-proliferation was held in Tokyo. Ambassador Makio Miyagawa, Director-General of the Disarmament, Non-proliferation and Science Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Cheng Jingye, Director-General of the Department of Arms Control and Disarmament of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China led the Japanese and Chinese delegation respectively. During the Consultation both sides exchanged views on wide-ranging issues relating to disarmament and non-proliferation.
Both sides welcomed the holding of the Consultation after a lapse of approximately two years. They pointed out that, with the increasing momentum for strengthened cooperation between Japan and China in global issues, both sides should further enhance cooperation in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation, with a view to further developing a "Mutually Beneficial Relationship based on Common Strategic Interests."
In the field of disarmament, from the perspective of steadily implementing the Action Plan adopted at the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in May 2010, the Japanese side requested further nuclear disarmament and increased transparency by nuclear-weapon states, and requested that China move to ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) at the earliest day and announce a moratorium on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons. Both countries shared importance of an early start and conclusion of negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT).
Consultations also covered regional issues concerning North Korea and Iran. Regarding nuclear issues of North Korea, both sides shared the view that Japan and China would continue to engage in cooperation towards the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. With regard to nuclear issues of Iran, they reaffirmed the importance of the concerted efforts by the international community.
Both sides concurred that Japan and China would continue to cooperate in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation, and it was agreed that arrangements would be made to hold the next consultation in Beijing next year.

(*This is a provisional translation. The above date denotes the date of the issue of the original press release in Japanese.)

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