Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

I am ERI Arfiya, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan.
On behalf of the Ministry, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all participants joining us here today.
I also wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to CISTEC and all those who have made this seminar possible.

Japan launched this Asia Export Control Seminar right after the end of the Cold War, as we anticipated that the Asian region has the potential to be the center of the global economy, while at the same time, the further increase in trade volumes and the growing complexity of supply chains may prompt proliferation risks.

As predicted, Asia has become the center of the global economy and we have successfully developed our non-proliferation capabilities, including export controls.
However, proliferators are always advancing their techniques and we need to keep pace with them.
Against this backdrop, it is essential to continuously stay updated on the latest proliferation risks and to implement appropriate export controls.

We must avoid the unintended use of Asia’s economic prosperity in the development of weapons of mass destruction, among other things.
From this perspective, I am proud that we are holding this seminar in Asia every year.

The world is now at a turning point in history.
North Korea remains the greatest proliferation concern, and despite our continued efforts, it continues to develop nuclear and missile capabilities in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions, posing an imminent threat to the peace and security of the entire international community.

Additionally, Russia's aggression against Ukraine, now entering its fourth year, shakes the very foundation of the international order based on the rule of law.

The advancement of military cooperation between North Korea and Russia has also become a source of grave concern, recently.
Any transfer of technologies related to nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles to North Korea does not only violate the Security Council resolutions, but poses a serious challenge to the international non-proliferation regime and global security.

Unfortunately, in this current international situation, the risk of proliferation and misuse of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons by terrorists, remains extremely high.

Furthermore, advancements in science and technology are expanding the scope of international security, including emerging technologies such as AI, quantum, and biotechnologies.
With the rapid development of these dual-use emerging technologies, additional considerations for export controls are becoming necessary.

As we live in such a challenging time for the international community, I would like to reiterate the importance of this seminar, which has become greater than ever.

Strict export controls not only prevent proliferation but also build confidence with trade and investment partners. They do not hinder trade and investment.
Rather, they contribute to creating a favorable environment for further and stable economic growth.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Maintaining international peace and security requires efforts from the entire non-proliferation community.

I would like to express my gratitude for the broad participation of relevant countries, international organizations, and others in this seminar in this regard.

I would also like to warmly welcome the participation of the representatives of the international export control regimes, namely, the NSG (Nuclear Suppliers Group), the AG (Australia Group) and the WA (Wassenaar Arrangement).

In closing, I sincerely hope that this three-day seminar will be fruitful.
Let us work together for global peace, stability, and further economic development.
Thank you for your attention.