Press Releases

1. In the early hours of December 6 (December 5 New York time), the UN General Assembly adopted the draft resolution on nuclear disarmament entitled “United action towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons”, which the Government of Japan submitted on behalf of a record number of 102 co-sponsor countries. The draft resolution was adopted by an overwhelming majority of 169 in favor to 1 against (North Korea), with 14 abstentions (Brazil, China, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Mauritius, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Syria, Uganda and Zimbabwe) This is the first time the number of co-sponsor states has exceeded 100.

2. This draft resolution includes the full implementation of the Action Plan agreed at the Review Conference for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in May 2010, the need for the full understanding of the catastrophic humanitarian consequences that would result from the use of nuclear weapons, and strong condemnation of nuclear testing by North Korea, and is a contribution by the Government of Japan toward further increasing international momentum for the realization of a “world free of nuclear weapons.”

3. In addition, on the same day, the draft resolution “The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects” jointly submitted by Japan, Colombia and South Africa was also adopted by consensus, and the draft resolution on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) submitted by the ATT co-author states, including Japan (aside from Japan, the co-author states are Argentina, Australia, Costa Rica, Finland, Kenya and the United Kingdom) was also adopted by an overwhelming majority.