Press Releases
Cooperation by the Government of Japan toward the Elimination of Chemical Weapons in Syria
1. In line with the decisions by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2118, an international effort is currently underway toward the elimination of chemical weapons of the Syrian Arab Republic.
2. The Government of Japan would like to make as much cooperation and contribution as possible to the international community’s efforts to eliminate chemical weapons of the Syrian Arab Republic. This cooperation has a significance in stability in the Middle East region, contribution to efforts by the international community to eliminate chemical weapons, a category of weapons of mass destruction, and issuing a strong message of the international community that it never tolerate the possession or use of chemical weapons.
3. As one part of that cooperation, the Government of Japan has already notified the OPCW that it is prepared to dispatch three Japan Ground Self-Defense Force personnel who have practical experience as inspectors in the OPCW. In addition to this, the Government of Japan made a cabinet decision to allocate a total of approximately 1.5 billion JPY to the draft supplementary budget of the fiscal year 2013, with aim of financially contributing to the efforts for the elimination of chemical weapons of Syria and the inspection of these weapons by the OPCW and the United Nations.
4. The Government of Japan will continue to provide every possible assistance for the elimination and inspection of the chemical weapons of the Syrian Arab Republic.