Press Releases
The Fourth Meeting of the International Group of Eminent Persons for a World without Nuclear Weapons (IGEP)
May 22, 2024
On May 21 and 22, the fourth meeting of the International Group of Eminent Persons for a World without Nuclear Weapons (IGEP) was held in Yokohama. A total of thirteen members attended the meeting in person, including Chair SHIRAISHI Takashi, Special Professor of Emeritus of the Prefectural University of Kumamoto, and two other Japanese members, as well as ten foreign members including those from both nuclear-weapon States and non-nuclear-weapon States. In addition, two members participated virtually.
- In the first session on May 21, Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs, participated through a video message
. In this video message, Minister KAMIKAWA introduced the Japanese government's continuing efforts toward a world without nuclear weapons and stated that Japan will continue to pursue realistic and practical efforts, taking the sage views of the IGEP as guidance. - Through six sessions over the two-day meeting, the IGEP members had frank and in-depth discussions focusing on the impact of emerging technologies such as AI; responsibilities, ethics, and norms surrounding nuclear weapons; and updates to nuclear arms control and non-proliferation regimes with a view to making recommendations to the 2026 NPT Review Conference.
- The IGEP members who participated in the meeting in person attended a lunch hosted by Special Advisor to the Prime Minister ISHIHARA Hirotaka and held dialogues with academia and civil society on May 21. Furthermore, they paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio and also exchanged views with the parliamentary leagues on disarmament on May 22. On the evening of May 22, a dinner hosted by Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs FUKAZAWA Yoichi was held.
- Regarding the future activities of the IGEP, it was decided in the meeting that the IGEP will hold around two meetings to compile recommendations in the run-up to the 2026 NPT Review Conference. The next meeting (the fifth meeting) is expected to be organized between autumn and winter of this year upon taking into account the schedules of the IGEP members.
(Reference1) Attachment
(Reference2) International Group of Eminent Persons for a World without Nuclear Weapons (IGEP)
- 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. - 15 Members of the IGEP
[In-person participation]
| Shiraishi Takashi (Chair) | Special Professor of Emeritus, Prefectural University of Kumamoto |
| Angela Kane | Former Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs of the United Nations |
| Rose Gottemoeller | Former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs |
| Takamizawa Nobushige | Visiting Professor, Graduate School of Public Policy, the University of Tokyo |
| Gustavo Zlauvinen | President of the 10th NPT Review Conference |
| Bruno Tertrais | Deputy Director, Foundation for Strategic Research |
| Dina Kawar | Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the United States |
| Raden Mohammad Marty Muliana Natalegawa | Former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia |
| Manpreet Sethi | Distinguished Fellow, Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS) |
| Akiyama Nobumasa | Professor, School of International and Public Policy, Hitotsubashi University |
| Tanya Ogilvie-White | Research Director, Asia-Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (APLN) |
| Anton Khlopkov | Director of Center for Energy and Security Studies (CENESS) |
| Tong Zhao | Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace |
[Virtual participation]
| George Perkovich | Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace |
| Ian Anthony | Scientist, Department of Defence Analysis, Security Policy Section, Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) |