Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Technology

On June 11, Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, attended the Stockholm Ministerial Meeting on Nuclear Disarmament and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which was hosted by the Government of Sweden, in Stockholm.

1. The meeting was attended by 16 non-nuclear-weapon States with various positions and located in various regions, including those facing severe security environments and those that believe in the need for an immediate legal ban on nuclear weapons. The participating states shared the recognition regarding the need for a high-level commitment to maintaining and strengthening the NPT, which is the cornerstone of the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime, in preparation for the 2020 NPT Review Conference. Based on this recognition, while taking into account the international security environment, including regional proliferation challenges related to North Korea, Iran and the Middle East, as well as the situations surrounding nuclear-weapon states, discussions were held on a wide range of issues, including enhancing transparency, work on nuclear disarmament verification, and risk reduction of nuclear weapons, in order to identify concrete measures for nuclear disarmament that can serve as common ground.
2. Minister Kono emphasized that, in order to advance nuclear disarmament and maintain and strengthen the NPT regime, it is necessary to make efforts in a realistic manner by involving nuclear-weapon States. Furthermore, Minister Kono emphasized priorities for Japan, namely promoting dialogue and enhancing transparency, through explaining the initiatives being promoted through the Group of Eminent Persons for Substantive Advancement of Nuclear Disarmament and the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI).
3. In addition, Minister Kono reaffirmed with the other participating states the objective of achieving the denuclearization of North Korea in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner in accordance with all relevant UNSC resolutions. 
4. The Stockholm Ministerial Meeting on Nuclear Disarmament and the NPT was concluded by adopting  a Ministerial declaration(PDF).