Japanese foreign minister may attend NPT Review Conference
Apr. 30, 2010
by Kohei Okata, Staff Writer
On April 27, the Foreign Ministry of Japan revealed the documents submitted as material for further discussion to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference scheduled to begin on May 3 at U.N. Headquarters in New York.
With regard to the nuclear disarmament issue, together with the government of Australia, the government submitted the outline of the report drafted by the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND), in addition to a working document "A New Package of Practical Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Measures,” which has already been made public.
Also, the Japanese government handed in a working document "Disarmament and Nonproliferation Education," which proposes various matters including methods for conveying experiences of the atomic bombings to future generations, as well as documents which address how to strengthen the functions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the NPT.
The Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol, a road map to the elimination of nuclear weapons by 2020, which has been proposed by Mayors for Peace, was not among the submitted documents. Hideo Suzuki, director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Division of the Foreign Ministry, explained, "At the moment we are not planning to submit the protocol. We will consider the possibility depending on the situation."
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada referred to the prospect of his attending the review conference, saying, "I would not reject the possibility of going to the United States at an important time." This means that Mr. Okada might attend around the final phase of the meeting, which will close on May 28.
(Originally published on April 28, 2010)
Related articles
Japanese foreign minister will not attend NPT Review Conference (April 27, 2010)
Nuclear weapons can be eliminated: NPT Review Conference to open on May 3 (April 26, 2010)
On April 27, the Foreign Ministry of Japan revealed the documents submitted as material for further discussion to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference scheduled to begin on May 3 at U.N. Headquarters in New York.
With regard to the nuclear disarmament issue, together with the government of Australia, the government submitted the outline of the report drafted by the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND), in addition to a working document "A New Package of Practical Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Measures,” which has already been made public.
Also, the Japanese government handed in a working document "Disarmament and Nonproliferation Education," which proposes various matters including methods for conveying experiences of the atomic bombings to future generations, as well as documents which address how to strengthen the functions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the NPT.
The Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol, a road map to the elimination of nuclear weapons by 2020, which has been proposed by Mayors for Peace, was not among the submitted documents. Hideo Suzuki, director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Division of the Foreign Ministry, explained, "At the moment we are not planning to submit the protocol. We will consider the possibility depending on the situation."
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada referred to the prospect of his attending the review conference, saying, "I would not reject the possibility of going to the United States at an important time." This means that Mr. Okada might attend around the final phase of the meeting, which will close on May 28.
(Originally published on April 28, 2010)
Related articles
Japanese foreign minister will not attend NPT Review Conference (April 27, 2010)
Nuclear weapons can be eliminated: NPT Review Conference to open on May 3 (April 26, 2010)
