Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation
The First FMCT Friends Ministerial Meeting
On September 24, commencing at 4:45 p.m. (5:45 a.m. JST), for approximately 45 minutes, Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who is visiting New York in the United States of America to attend the United Nations General Assembly, held the First Ministerial Meeting of the Friends of the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT). The overview is as follows:
- In his opening remarks, Minister IWAYA referred to the current severe and complex security environment, including the further advancement of North Korea's nuclear and missile development and the continued opaque and rapid buildup of nuclear forces by certain countries. Further, Minister IWAYA touched upon the significance of an FMCT in imposing quantitative limits on nuclear weapons through the prohibition of the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons, and called for the maintenance of trust in the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime and through dialogue and cooperation, to bring political will to fruition for the immediate commencement of negotiations on the treaty.
- Following this, statements were made by representatives of the FMCT Friends countries, including Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, Nigerian Minister of Defence Mohammed Abubakar, and UK Minister for the UN Chris Elmore. Afterwards, Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, delivered remarks*. At the meeting, a joint statement was adopted among the FMCT Friends countries.
*The U.S. participated as an observer.
(Reference1) Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT)
A treaty aimed at banning the production of fissile material (highly enriched uranium, plutonium, etc.) that is the raw material for nuclear weapons, and preventing further increases in the number of nuclear weapons. In 1993, then U.S. President Clinton proposed negotiations for the treaty.
Negotiations have yet to begin. Japan attaches importance to the early start of negotiations on an FMCT.
(Reference2) The Friends of a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT Friends)
The “FMCT Friends” is a cross-regional group with the participation of both nuclear-weapon States and non-nuclear-weapon States which aims to maintain and enhance political attention on an FMCT and to contribute to expand the support for the negotiation of an FMCT. Member countries are Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Nigeria, Philippines, United Kingdom and United States of America.
(Reference3)
Foreign Minister IWAYA’s Opening Remarks (Japanese (PDF)
/ English (Provisional) (PDF))