Views exchanged on IAEA at symposium in Tokyo
Mar. 26, 2010
by Keisuke Yoshihara, Staff Writer
On March 25, a symposium was held in Tokyo to consider the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Lawrence Scheinman from the United States, former special assistant to the IAEA Director General, and experts from Japan exchanged views mainly on measures to enhance functions of the IAEA in pursuit of nuclear non-proliferation.
Mr. Takeshi Nakane, representative and ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna, delivered a keynote speech and introduced the IAEA's role in promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy while preventing the use of nuclear energy for military purposes. Mr. Nakane stated that "Iran has covertly advanced nuclear development and lost international trust" and referred to the improvement of information analysis as a measure to prevent international proliferation of nuclear-related technology and nuclear materials.
At a panel discussion following the keynote speech, Nobuyasu Abe, director of the Center for the Promotion of Disarmament and Non-Proliferation at the Japan Institute of International Affairs, stressed the need for increasing the number of ratifiers of the IAEA Additional Protocol in consideration of the importance of the protocol, which aims to strengthen inspection. With the global increase in construction of nuclear plants in mind, Dr. Scheinman shared his concern with the audience, saying that the IAEA faces a difficult challenge in the fact that one organization holds the dual roles of seeking to control nuclear technology and yet encouraging the use of that technology for peaceful purposes.
The School of International and Public Policy at Hitotsubashi University organized the symposium and about 70 were in attendance.
(Originally published on March 26, 2010)
On March 25, a symposium was held in Tokyo to consider the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Lawrence Scheinman from the United States, former special assistant to the IAEA Director General, and experts from Japan exchanged views mainly on measures to enhance functions of the IAEA in pursuit of nuclear non-proliferation.
Mr. Takeshi Nakane, representative and ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna, delivered a keynote speech and introduced the IAEA's role in promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy while preventing the use of nuclear energy for military purposes. Mr. Nakane stated that "Iran has covertly advanced nuclear development and lost international trust" and referred to the improvement of information analysis as a measure to prevent international proliferation of nuclear-related technology and nuclear materials.
At a panel discussion following the keynote speech, Nobuyasu Abe, director of the Center for the Promotion of Disarmament and Non-Proliferation at the Japan Institute of International Affairs, stressed the need for increasing the number of ratifiers of the IAEA Additional Protocol in consideration of the importance of the protocol, which aims to strengthen inspection. With the global increase in construction of nuclear plants in mind, Dr. Scheinman shared his concern with the audience, saying that the IAEA faces a difficult challenge in the fact that one organization holds the dual roles of seeking to control nuclear technology and yet encouraging the use of that technology for peaceful purposes.
The School of International and Public Policy at Hitotsubashi University organized the symposium and about 70 were in attendance.
(Originally published on March 26, 2010)