Implementation of article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and paragraph 4 (c) of the 1995 Decision on "Principles and Objectives for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament"

April 28 - May 9, 2003

Report submitted by Japan

In accordance with subparagraph 12 of paragraph 15 in the Chapter on Article VI of the Final Document of the 2000 NPT Review Conference, the Government of Japan reports on the measures it has taken to implement Article VI of the NPT and paragraph 4(c) of the 1995 Decision on "Principles and Objectives for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament".

1. Contribution towards the smooth and successful start of the 2005 NPT Review Process

At the first Preparatory Committee of the 2005 NPT Review Conference, as well as this second Preparatory Committee, Japan clearly explained its position on nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy in its working paper.

2. Efforts for the early entry-into-force of the CTBT

Japan emphasizes the importance of the early entry into force of the CTBT which, together with the IAEA safeguards, constitutes one of the major pillars of the NPT regime. From this position Japan has made various efforts, including the following:

• On September 14, 2002, Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi and the Foreign Ministers of Australia and the Netherlands co-chaired the Friends of the CTBT Foreign Ministers' Meeting, in which the Ministers of States that have ratified the CTBT participated and issued the Joint Ministerial Statement. This statement included a call for signing and ratifying the CTBT as early as possible.
• As a part of the International Monitoring System (IMS), Japan has launched its CTBT National Operation System and begun to construct domestic monitoring facilities step by step.
• Japan has also encouraged countries that have not ratified the CTBT to ratify the treaty by, for example, providing technical assistance in the field of earthquake monitoring technology for the establishment of the International Monitoring System.

3. Activities for the preparation for the commencement of FMCT

Japan emphasizes the importance and urgency of the commencement of FMCT negotiations, as reiterated in the recent speech delivered by the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament (CD) to the CD. Also, in March 2003, Japan, Australia, and UNIDIR co-hosted a workshop entitled "Promoting Verification in Multilateral Disarmament Treaties". Approximately 120 participants engaged in substantive discussions on a future verification regime in general, and on that of the FMCT in particular, in order to maintain and strengthen momentum to commence negotiations on the FMCT.

4. Submission of Resolutions on Nuclear Disarmament to the UN General Assembly

Every year between 1994 and 1999, Japan submitted to the UN General Assembly a draft resolution which called for nuclear disarmament with a view to the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons. Since 2000, Japan has annually submitted a draft resolution entitled "A Path to the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons" reflecting the thirteen practical disarmament steps agreed upon in the Final Document of the 2000 Review Conference. Japan's draft resolutions, aiming for the realization of a peaceful and safe world free of nuclear weapons, have been adopted with the overwhelming support of the international community by the vote of an overwhelming majority.

5. Cooperation for denuclearization in Russia

At the Kananaskis Summit in June 2002, G8 leaders announced "the G8 Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction" to address non-proliferation, disarmament, counter-terrorism and nuclear safety issues. Japan committed, for the purpose of this Partnership, to make a contribution amounting to a little more than 200 million US dollars for the time being; out of this, 100 million dollars would be allocated to the G8 disposition program of Russian surplus weapon-grade plutonium. In February 2003, Japan and Russia decided to implement a project for dismantling a Victor III class decommissioned nuclear submarine, which is expected to be the first cooperation project between Japan and Russia under this Partnership.

6. Efforts to promote disarmament and non-proliferation education

In August 2002, the Group of Governmental Experts of Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education submitted their report on disarmament and non-proliferation education to the Secretary General. The resolution, requesting the implementation of the report, was adopted without a vote at the 57th UN General Assembly. In November 2002, Japan invited a prominent educator on disarmament in an effort to realize the recommendations suggested in the report. During her stay in Japan, the educator lectured on the necessity of nuclear disarmament in high schools in Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and also exchanged opinions with victims of atomic bombs and local NGOs.

Since 1982, Japan has invited more than 450 UN disarmament fellows to Japan including visits to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, providing these young officials, who will be responsible for future disarmament diplomacy, with an opportunity to witness the horrendous and long-lasting consequences that atomic bombs have wreaked. Japan will continue to contribute to this program as it has done so far.

Japan believes that the international community should be well informed of the destructive effects of nuclear weapons. In accordance with the wish of the people of Japan that such weapons will never again be used, the Government of Japan has supported, on a number of occasions, the efforts of local governments and NGOs to organize exhibitions relating to atomic bombs in foreign countries, including the Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-bomb exhibition which took place in Ottawa, Canada, from November 2002 to March 2003.

To elucidate the current state of disarmament and non-proliferation and to gain broad understanding and support on the issue, the Government of Japan published a book entitled "Japan's Disarmament Policy".

7. Commitment to the Three Non-Nuclear Principles

The Government of Japan continues to be firmly committed to the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles," which is used to describe the policy of not possessing, not producing and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons into Japan. The successive Cabinets of Japan, including Prime Minister Koizumi, have repeatedly articulated that Japan will continue to uphold these principles.