State Minister for Foreign Affairs KUNIMITSU’s attendance at the 48th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM48) (Results)

1. Attendance at the 48th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM 48)

The opening ceremony

On May12, Dr. KUNIMITSU Ayano, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, attended the opening ceremony of the 48th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting held in Hiroshima. In her speech, State Minister KUNIMITSU emphasized that the Antarctic Treaty has a deep affinity with Hiroshima in terms of its pursuit of peace, with its principles of the peaceful use of Antarctica and international cooperation, and that the Antarctic Treaty System can be regarded as one of the most remarkable successes in international cooperation, serving as a legal framework for addressing global challenges. State Minister KUNIMITSU also stressed the importance of further advancing international cooperation for Antarctic observation and scientific research that contributes to predicting global environmental changes, the formulation of a framework to minimize the impact of tourism on the Antarctic environment, and ensuring transparency in Antarctic activities. State Minister KUNIMITSU further stated that the Government of Japan had submitted to the current session of the National Diet the Annex VI to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty toward its conclusion, along with related legislation, and encouraged other parties to make further efforts toward an early entry into force of the Annex.

2. Laying Flowers at the Cenotaph for Atomic Bomb Victims and a visit to Hiroshima Kanon Senior High School

Laying Flowers at the Cenotaph for Atomic Bomb Victims

Prior to the opening ceremony, State Minister KUNIMITSU laid flowers at the Cenotaph for Atomic Bomb Victims together with Mr. TSUJI Kiyoto, State Minister of the Environment of Japan, Mr. UYAMA Hideki, Ambassador for the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and Chair of ATCM48, and Mr. Francisco Berguño, Executive Secretary of the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat. Following the ceremony, State Minister KUNIMITSU visited Hiroshima Kanon Senior High School to exchange views with the students, sharing that the suffering endured by the school’s students as a result of the atomic bombing had been mentioned in her statement at the NPT Review Conference General Debate.

(Reference1) Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM)

Parties that are conducting substantial scientific research activities in Antarctica are called Consultative Parties (29 Parties). At the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM), discussions take place on the peaceful use of Antarctica, promotion of scientific research, and the protection of Antarctic environment (once a year). The meeting is hosted by each consultative party on a rotating basis. The Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) is convened on the sidelines of the ATCM in accordance with the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty.

(Reference2) The Antarctic Treaty

The Treaty was adopted by 12 countries including Japan in 1959, entering into force in 1961 (Japan is one of the original signatories).
As of April 2026, the number of Parties is 58.
The Antarctic Treaty applies to the area south of 60 degrees South Latitude. The Treaty contains the following principal provisions:

Peaceful use of Antarctica (including prohibition on establishing military bases and carrying out military maneuvers) (Article 1)
Freedom of scientific investigation and promotion of international cooperation (Articles 2 and 3)
Freeze of territorial claims (Article 4)
Prohibition on nuclear testing and radioactive waste disposal (Article 5)

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