Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation

September 26, 2025
Japanese
Foreign Minister Iwaya delivering a statement at the 14th Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)
Photo of the venue of the conference

[Provisional translation]

On September 26, at 10:30 a.m. local time (11:30 p.m., September 26, Japan time) for approximately 40 minutes, Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, during his visit to New York to attend the international conferences held on the occasion of the United Nations General Assembly, attended the 14th Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and delivered a statement. The summary is as follows.

  1. Minister Iwaya stated in his statement that in realizing a world without nuclear weapons, it is crucial to put into practice the substance of the CTBT, which prohibits nuclear testing and prevents qualitative improvements in nuclear weapons. Further, Minister Iwaya called for the early signature and ratification by all non-signatory States and emphasized that strengthening the verification system and providing capacity-building support are necessary to ensure the Treaty’s effectiveness.
  2. In addition to United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Nakamitsu Izumi and Executive Secretary of the Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) of the Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO Robert Floyd, representatives of governments such as Hon. Maria Theresa Lazaro, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Republic of the Philippines, H.E. Ms. Maria Malmer Stenergard, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Sweden, attended the meeting and delivered statements.
  3. Furthermore, the final declaration was adopted by the ratifying States and other States Signatories that consented. The declaration calls for the early signature and ratification of the CTBT by the States that have not yet signed or ratified the treaty, in particular by the remaining States listed in Annex 2, calls for the maintenance of the moratoria on nuclear weapons test explosions, confirms support for the build-up of the verification regime and condemns nuclear tests by North Korea.

(Reference1)Conference on Facilitating the Entry-into-Force of the CTBT

The CTBT, which bans nuclear explosive tests in all places, stipulates that if the treaty has not entered into force three years after it is opened for signature, a conference to facilitate its entry into force shall be held at the request of a majority of those states that have already ratified (Article XIV). Under this provision, the Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force has been held every other year since 1999.

(Reference2)Current Status of the CTBT

The CTBT was opened for signature in September 1996, but has not yet entered into force because it requires ratification by all 44 States listed in Annex2 to the treaty to enter into force. Of the countries that are listed in Annex 2 to the treaty, the U.S., China, Egypt, Israel, Iran, and Russian Federation have signed but not ratified it. India, Pakistan, and North Korea have not signed and ratified. Currently, there are 187 signatories and 178 ratifying states.

(Reference3)

(Attachment 1) Ministerial Statement of the Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the CTBT in 2025 (English (PDF)Open a New Window/ Japanese (PDF)Open a New Window)

(Attachment 2) Final Declaration (English (PDF)Open a New Window/ Japanese Summary (PDF)Open a New Window)

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