Prior to NPT Review Conference, NGO Network for Nuclear Weapons Abolition urges government to advance nuclear disarmament
Jul. 22, 2022
by Kana Kobayashi, Staff Writer
Prior to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference to be held in New York in August, the Japan NGO Network for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, composed of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and citizens’ groups, has urged the Foreign Ministry to advance discussions on nuclear disarmament at the Review Conference. This was revealed during an online press conference July 21.
The NGO Network has requested the following five action items: Encourage all nuclear weapons states to strive for nuclear disarmament; Enshrine in text the inhumanity of nuclear weapons in the final document; Ensure all countries pledge that “we will not carry out pre-emptive nuclear attack;” End all reprocessing plans and programs that produce materials for nuclear weapons; Express recognition of the significance of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and enshrine in text in the final document. On July 20, the NGO Network held an online meeting with the Foreign Ministry to exchange opinions and made these requests on that occasion.
According to the NGO Network, 12 people from 10 organizations attended the meeting to exchange opinions. The Foreign Ministry said the recognition of the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons is important. However, in light of the situation in which international society is divided over the response to the Ukraine crisis, the Foreign Ministry stated the direction in which the conference will move remains uncertain. With regard to the nuclear ban treaty, which Japan has not ratified, the Foreign Ministry said it is an important treaty that can be said to be a way out to a world without nuclear weapons.
At the press conference, based on the international situation where Russia has suggested use of nuclear weapons and the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, Terumi Tanaka, 90, joint representative of the NGO Network and co-chair of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations, said, “The NPT Review Conference this time will be different from previous ones. It is high time that Japan makes its presence felt as the A-bombed country,” and stressed that the role of the Japanese government will be extremely important.
(Originally published on July 22, 2022)
Prior to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference to be held in New York in August, the Japan NGO Network for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, composed of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and citizens’ groups, has urged the Foreign Ministry to advance discussions on nuclear disarmament at the Review Conference. This was revealed during an online press conference July 21.
The NGO Network has requested the following five action items: Encourage all nuclear weapons states to strive for nuclear disarmament; Enshrine in text the inhumanity of nuclear weapons in the final document; Ensure all countries pledge that “we will not carry out pre-emptive nuclear attack;” End all reprocessing plans and programs that produce materials for nuclear weapons; Express recognition of the significance of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and enshrine in text in the final document. On July 20, the NGO Network held an online meeting with the Foreign Ministry to exchange opinions and made these requests on that occasion.
According to the NGO Network, 12 people from 10 organizations attended the meeting to exchange opinions. The Foreign Ministry said the recognition of the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons is important. However, in light of the situation in which international society is divided over the response to the Ukraine crisis, the Foreign Ministry stated the direction in which the conference will move remains uncertain. With regard to the nuclear ban treaty, which Japan has not ratified, the Foreign Ministry said it is an important treaty that can be said to be a way out to a world without nuclear weapons.
At the press conference, based on the international situation where Russia has suggested use of nuclear weapons and the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, Terumi Tanaka, 90, joint representative of the NGO Network and co-chair of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations, said, “The NPT Review Conference this time will be different from previous ones. It is high time that Japan makes its presence felt as the A-bombed country,” and stressed that the role of the Japanese government will be extremely important.
(Originally published on July 22, 2022)
