Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation

1. In the afternoon of December 8, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Ishihara delivered Prime Minister Kishida’s opening address on his behalf while also offering the welcoming remarks at the opening session. This was followed by the video messages from three political leaders: former Chilean President Bachelet, former Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu, and former U.S. Senator Nunn, along with the opening remarks virtually offered by former Kenyan Foreign Secretary Mohamed. Then each IGEP member and Honorary Director Tomonaga delivered their opening remarks.
2. Through the four sessions over the two-day meeting, the IGEP members discussed in depth challenges in promoting nuclear disarmament from today’s perspective, based on the current international situation and security environment surrounding nuclear disarmament, while also having candid discussions regarding priorities on the nuclear disarmament front and how to advance future discussions in the IGEP. On December 9, Lord Des Browne (former U.K. Secretary of State for Defence) attended the meeting in person as a political leader.
3. In the afternoon of December 9, Prime Minister Kishida attended the closing session after being briefed by the IGEP members on their discussions. In the session, following the video message by U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Kerry, Prime Minister Kishida stated that [the significance of the IGEP lies in renewing our shared determination to ensure that Nagasaki is the last place to suffer an atomic bombing through candid discussions, that from this viewpoint, nothing is more valuable than the fact that the IGEP members have deepened their understanding of the realities of the atomic bombing, and that he will continue to demonstrate strong leadership toward a world without nuclear weapons, while also taking into account the sage views of the IGEP.
4. In the morning of December 8, the IGEP members also deepened their understanding of the realities of the atomic bombing through attentively listening to a testimony given by Mr. TSUIKI Shohei, who suffered the atomic bombing in Nagasaki at the age of 18. The members also offered flowers at the Peace Park and made a visit to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and the former Shiroyama National School Building. In addition, the IGEP members held dialogues with Hibakusha and civil society, respectively. In the evening of December 9, the IGEP members attended a dinner hosted by Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Fukazawa and had an exchange of views in a friendly atmosphere.
5. Regarding the future activities of the IGEP, the meeting decided that the IGEP will hold two meetings next year to compile recommendations in the run-up to the 2026 NPT Review Conference. The next meeting (the fourth meeting) is expected to be organized around spring of next year upon taking into account the schedules of the IGEP members.
6. Prime Minister Kishida held short conversations with former Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty and Lord Des Browne (former U.K. Secretary of State for Defence), respectively, and concurred to continue to work together toward a world without nuclear weapons.

［Reference 1]
(Attachment 1) Address by Prime Minister Kishida at the Opening Session (read out by Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Ishihara) (PDF)  
(Attachment 2) Address by Prime Minister Kishida at the Closing Session (PDF)  

［Reference 2] International Group of Eminent Persons for a World without Nuclear Weapons (IGEP)

• (1) Background and Objectives
  In January 2022, in his policy Speech to the Diet, Prime Minister Kishida announced the establishment of the IGEP in which participants from both nuclear-weapon States and non-nuclear-weapon States, as well as those from countries participating and not participating in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, will exchange ideas and thoughts beyond their respective national positions and engage in candid discussions concerning a concrete path towards the realization of a world without nuclear weapons.
• (2) 15 Members of the IGEP

[In-person participation]

[Virtual participation]

[Absence]