Press Releases

1. An exchange of letters between the Government of Japan and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) concerning a contribution to the destruction of chemical weapons of the Syrian Arab Republic took place in The Hague, Netherlands, on February 25 (same day local time). Mr. Masaru Tsuji, the Permanent Representative of Japan to the OPCW and Ambassador extraordinary plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kingdom of the Netherlands represented the Japan side, and H.E. Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, Director-General, the OPCW, represented the OPCW.

2. In December last year a total of approximately 1.5 billion JPY was allocated to the draft supplementary budget of the fiscal year 2013 with aim of financially contributing to the OPCW and the United Nations. Following the recent enactment of this supplementary budget, the Government contributes approximately 1.4 billion yen (approximately 13 million euros) of that budgeted amount to the OPCW. A contribution to the UN is currently being discussed with the UN.

3. In line with the decisions by the OPCW and the UN Security Council Resolution 2118, an international effort is currently underway toward the destruction of chemical weapons of the Syrian Arab Republic. The Government of Japan would like to make as much cooperation and contribution as possible to the international community’s efforts to destruct chemical weapons of the Syrian Arab Republic. This cooperation has significance in stability in the Middle East region, contribution to efforts by the international community to destruct chemical weapons, a category of weapons of mass destruction, and issuing a strong message of the international community that it never tolerates the possession or use of chemical weapons.