Second Review Conference of the Anti-Personnel Landmine Ban Convention

November 26, 2009
Japanese

The Second Review Conference of the Anti-Personnel Landmine Ban Convention (Ottawa Convention) will be held from November 29 (Sun) to December 4 (Fri) in Cartagena (Colombia).
The Review Conference will be attended by Mr. Akio Suda, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament, and Mr. Tatsumaro Terasawa, Ambassador of Japan to Colombia. Representatives from States Parties, international organizations, and NGOs (non-governmental organizations) will also attend (members of international organizations and NGOs will attend as observers).
The Review Conference is held once every five years. This Review Conference marks ten years since the Ottawa Convention entered into force. Attendees are scheduled to consider the state of operation of the Convention over the past five years, and to discuss guidelines for actions in the next five years to realize the purposes of the Convention. The Cartagena Declaration, Action Plan (which establishes guidelines for actions in the next five years), and Draft Review of the Operation and Status of the Convention (which is about the progress of the past five years) are scheduled to be adopted on the final day of the Review Conference.
Japan will announce its contributions and future aid in the fields of mine clearance and assistance to mine victims. Japan will also make an appeal to the international community on its efforts addressing landmine issues, in which members of the government, citizens, and academics cooperate together, and universalization of the Ottawa Convention through hosting side events.

(Reference)

The Anti-Personnel Landmine Ban Convention (Ottawa Convention)

(1) The Anti-Personnel Landmine Ban Convention was drawn up in September 1997 and entered into force on March 1, 1999. As of October 2009, there are 156 states parties. Japan became a State Party on September 30, 1998. The First Review Conference of the Anti-Personnel Landmine Ban Convention was held in 2004 in Nairobi (Kenya).

(2) This Convention completely prohibits the manufacture, use, or stockpile of anti-personnel landmines and obligates their destruction. It also provides for international cooperation for mine clearance and assistance to mine victims.

Japan’s international cooperation

Japan proposed the “Zero Victims Program” at the Ottawa Convention Signing Ceremony in 1997. Since 1998, Japan has carried out a total of 38 billion JPY in aid for mine clearance, assistance to mine victims, and education regarding avoiding landmines.

Japan’s side events at the Second Review Conference of the Anti-Personnel Landmine Ban Convention

(1) “Victim assistance partnerships symposium: current aid and future efforts” (jointly hosted by the Government of Japan and the Association for Aid and Relief, Japan). Japanese individuals and corporations will attend.

(2) “Universalization of the Ottawa and Oslo Convention (Convention on Cluster Munitions)” (jointly hosted by the Government of Japan and the Japan Campaign to Ban Landmines [JCBL]), focuses on efforts in the Asia-Pacific Region.

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