Nuclear weapons can be eliminated: NPT Review Conference to open on May 3
Apr. 26, 2010
by Yumi Kanazaki, Staff Writer
Convey the voices of survivors and open the door to abolition
The Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference will open at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on May 3. The conference, held every five years, will continue for four weeks until May 28, and about 190 NPT member states will review past developments in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and discuss what steps should be taken by the international community over the five years to come. Some 2,000 citizens of Japan, including A-bomb survivors from Hiroshima, will head for the United States, hoping that the voices of the citizens of the A-bombed nation, who have been calling for nuclear abolition, will be reflected in the discussion. Sixty-five years have passed since the atomic bombings of August 1945. Will the door to "zero nuclear weapons" be opened at the conference, held in the country which dropped the bombs?
Nuclear disarmament: How clear will the promises be?
At the previous conference held in 2005, much of the time was spent on debating the agenda itself, the meeting's starting point, rather than on substantive discussion, and the gathering failed to produce any agreements. In contrast, the preparatory meeting held in spring 2009 already adopted the draft provisional agenda. Preparations have been made for substantive discussions on the three pillars of the NPT: nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
In January 2009, the United States, the foremost nuclear power, saw the emergence of a new leader when President Barack Obama, who supports efforts toward a world without nuclear weapons, replaced former President George W. Bush, who displayed indifference toward the NPT regime and nuclear disarmament. The United States has since announced that it will respect the NPT regime, and the change in posture of the superpower has been welcomed.
Various proposals on the subject have been made by a number of organizations, including Global Zero, a group of former heads of state and experts of different countries, and the International Commission for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament (ICNND), a joint initiative of the Japanese and Australian governments. These proposals for nuclear disarmament, eventually leading to nuclear abolition, have helped increase momentum for the elimination of these weapons.
Mr. Obama, eyeing the review conference, also demonstrated in April a positive stance toward enhancing the NPT regime by signing a new nuclear arms control agreement with Russia, hosting a nuclear security summit, and engaging in other efforts.
The United States has also set forth the "negative security assurance" (NSA) in the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), pledging not to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states. For nations which have chosen not to possess nuclear weapons and are members of the NPT, the NSA is only natural. Still, the U.S. pledge is a positive factor for the review conference.
At the same time, the United States has indicated that it will exclude Iran and North Korea from its NSA, arguing that these nations do not abide by the NPT. This has already provoked a strong reaction from Iran.
The crucial point for this year's review conference with regard to nuclear disarmament is the degree to which specific measures can be incorporated in the final document, particularly in reconfirming "an unequivocal undertaking toward the elimination of nuclear weapons." This was among the 13 steps contained in the final document of the 2000 review conference.
Imposing stricter obligations on the nuclear powers to disarm, for example, would help alleviate the sense of unfairness felt by non-nuclear weapon states, such as the Non-Aligned States. It would also serve as a basis for urging all nuclear weapon states, including France and China, to enter multilateral negotiations to reduce their weapons.
Another point of particular importance is how the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol will be handled. The protocol has been proposed by Mayors for Peace, headed by Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba, and the measure seeks to achieve the abolition of nuclear weapons by 2020.
Currently, about 23,000 nuclear warheads are said to exist around the world, a number that cannot be considered satisfactory in terms of nuclear disarmament. There has been no substantial progress in bringing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) into effect or in starting negotiations for a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty. In particular, the United States and China should show a more serious stand toward ratification of the CTBT.
Agenda to include nuclear non-proliferation, tougher IAEA inspections
Since the previous review conference, nuclear-weapon-free zone treaties have taken effect in Central Asia and Africa. However, North Korea has declared its withdrawal from the NPT and has conducted two nuclear tests. Iran's suspected nuclear development program has caused deep concern among the international community. No significant progress has been made in instituting specific and effective measures to prevent nuclear proliferation.
At this year's review conference, one of the key subjects for discussion will be increasing the number of ratifying nations of the Additional Protocol to enhance the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections as a measure to prevent countries from secretly developing nuclear weapons. Currently, only 96 nations have ratified the protocol.
In the 1995 review conference, it was decided that the NPT, which had been criticized as unfair, would be indefinitely extended. At the same time, the resolution on the Middle East was adopted, which aimed at making the region free of all weapons of mass destruction. But there have been no further developments since then. At the upcoming review conference, this issue may stir controversy. Egypt, frustrated by the nuclear arms maintained by Israel, which is a non-signatory of the NPT, is proposing an international conference for the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region.
Control of uranium enrichment is critical for the peaceful use of nuclear energy
The NPT defines the peaceful use of nuclear energy as an "inalienable right" of signatories, on condition that they accept IAEA inspections. But the peaceful use of nuclear energy poses a dilemma to nuclear non-proliferation efforts.
The more countries introduce nuclear power generation and the more they pursue nuclear fuel enrichment and reprocessing on their own, there will be increasing concerns with regard to the proliferation of sensitive technologies which can be converted to military purposes. With more nuclear power plants in operation, more plutonium will be contained in spent nuclear fuel.
Countries and organizations including the United States and the IAEA have proposed a "fuel bank," which would control the global supply of enriched uranium, and the concept of international control of the fuel cycle, including the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels. But Iran and other countries are likely to oppose these ideas and cling to their own uranium enrichment activities.
Enhancing the regime: What measures can prevent defiance and withdrawal?
To enhance the NPT regime, abiding by the treaty and applying it fairly are vital. The principles should be that nuclear weapon states fulfill their obligations of nuclear disarmament and non-nuclear-weapon states limit their use of nuclear energy to peaceful purposes.
While India has not joined the NPT, the country has been involved in developing nuclear weapons. And India and other countries, including the United States, have concluded the Nuclear Energy Cooperation Agreement, which is aimed at promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Not a few nations have a high level of mistrust toward what they call such "double standards." India's neighboring country and non-signatory, Pakistan, has also been engaged in nuclear development. This situation is symbolic of the hole in the NPT regime. Moreover, if signatories should break away from the NPT and pursue nuclear development programs in defiance of international criticism, like North Korea, it would be hard to stop them.
In March 2010, the Japanese government proposed "A New Package of Practical Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation Measures," jointly proposed with the Australian government for the 2010 Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference. It expresses the basic posture of the government of the A-bombed nation for the review conference to be held this year. The government will work to have the package reflected in the final document of the review conference.
The first article in the 16-article proposal urges the conference to reaffirm "an unequivocal undertaking toward the elimination of nuclear weapons." It also calls on all nuclear weapon states to commit themselves to not using nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states which comply with the NPT. Such wording is nearly the same as that articulated in the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) that the United States announced in April.
In the area of nuclear non-proliferation, the proposal stresses that all nations conclude the Additional Protocol for the NPT, which will strengthen inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The joint proposal is based on the final report of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND), which was released in December 2009. The ICNND was composed of members from Japan and Australia including former foreign ministers. "The Foreign Ministry of Japan has instructed all Japanese Embassies overseas to explain the contents of the proposal to each government to encourage their support," said Hideo Suzuki, director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
At the same time, Akira Kawasaki, executive committee member of Peace Boat, a Tokyo-based nongovernmental organization (NGO) who served as an NGO advisor to the ICNND, pointed out that the proposal "breaks no new ground. It backs off from the final report of the ICNND in terms of the reduction in the role of nuclear weapons. I feel it gives due consideration to the United States with regard to its nuclear policy."
Although international momentum for nuclear disarmament has grown more than ever before, it is expected that Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama will not participate in the review conference. It is not clear whether or not the A-bombed nation, which should be standing at the forefront of the elimination of nuclear weapons, can assume a leading role in the conference deliberations.
During the period the NPT Review Conference is held at U.N. Headquarters, which will serve as the meeting's venue, the voices of citizens from around the world, appealing for the elimination of nuclear weapons, will be heard at the site and in the vicinity.
A booth called the "Hiroshima and Nagasaki Information Center" will be set up in New York City beginning on April 30 for four days. The center is expected to serve as a base for exchanging information and providing support for approximately 100 people comprised of A-bomb survivors and members of peace organizations who will travel from Hiroshima.
The center facilities are transportable. On April 30 and May 1, the center with tables and poster boards will be placed inside the Riverside Church where an international gathering of citizens will be held. On May 2, the center will be moved to the end point of a demonstration march with tens of thousands of people who will march on Manhattan, starting from Times Square toward the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza across from U.N. Headquarters. Various activities will be conducted including the screening of an animated film created by Seitaro Kuroda, a Japanese illustrator, on the evening of May 2 in the plaza.
On May 3, when the review conference opens, a tent for the center will be set up on the same plaza to serve as a base for offering A-bomb survivors' accounts and citizens' exchange activities. A Hiroshima-based citizens' group called the "Yes! Campaign," with collaboration from Japanese nationals residing there and other figures, will operate the center.
Steven Leeper, chairman of the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, has joined the effort to prepare for the center by contacting people in Japan and the United States. "It will send a powerful message to have citizens of both A-bombed cities join hands for their appeal," Mr. Leeper said. Erika Abiko, 31, director of the effort, said, "We heard from people who traveled to the conference venue five years ago that they had some difficulty because they weren't able to communicate in English and they lacked places to conduct their activities. We would like to help the participants disseminate information in Japanese and share their valuable experiences with others."
Beginning at 8 p.m. on May 1 and May 3, events will be held where citizens of various cities, including Hiroshima, will gather at Union Square Park to illuminate the park with candles.
What sort of role will the A-bombed city of Hiroshima play in order to realize the elimination of nuclear weapons? The Chugoku Shimbun interviewed Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba, who will head to the United States to take part in the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, on his determination to impact the gathering.
Below are Mayor Akiba's comments:
Mayors for Peace, for which I serve as president, has been campaigning to have the "Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol," which presents a road map toward the elimination of nuclear weapons by 2020, adopted at this NPT Review Conference. We have directly requested of world leaders and others that their nations become sponsors of the protocol, and received such replies as "We will consider your request."
Prior to the NPT Review Conference, a conference of parties to nuclear-weapon-free zone treaties will be held in New York on April 30. Nations that are willing to play an active role in the elimination of nuclear weapons will gather on this occasion. I have been given the opportunity to deliver a speech at the conference. I will speak out for the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol and continue to make efforts to seek sponsor nations for the protocol until the last moment.
What is important in eliminating nuclear weapons is the will of political leaders. Hiroshima, which supports that will, plays a major role. Fresh energy can be generated by reflecting on the experiences of the atomic bombings, the starting point for all this, as well as by sharing the suffering that the A-bomb survivors have endured, along with their wish for nuclear abolition, which grew out of the devastating consequences of the bombings.
How will we take responsibility for the survivors? The message should not be that "It will take time to abolish nuclear weapons; let's take our time." It should be "Let us enter an era without nuclear weapons with as many survivors as possible."
Unfortunately, we have not been able to convey this message adequately so far. This is why Mayors for Peace has been calling for nuclear abolition with a deadline of "the year 2020."
I would like to turn the NPT Review Conference into an opportunity for human beings to become aware of their responsibilities. I will do my utmost efforts to that end.
In anticipation of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, Tetsuro Fukuyama, the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Japan, granted an interview to the Chugoku Shimbun. He stressed Japan's stance of calling on each nation to support "A New Package of Practical Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation Measures," which has been jointly proposed by Japan and Australia, and making efforts to have the package be reflected in the final document of the NPT Review Conference.
What do you think is the significance of this conference?
Historically, this conference is very important, as it will be held immediately after the world has begun to work on materializing the vision of a nuclear-free world, such as the Nuclear Security Summit and the new nuclear disarmament treaty signed by the United States and Russia, prompted by U.S. President Barack Obama's speech in Prague last April. Regarding Japan, Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada enthusiastically argued for a reduction in the role of nuclear weapons at the G8 Summit of Foreign Ministers last month. We would like to conscientiously bring this atmosphere to the conference.
What is the key to achieving concrete results?
Positive results in the three areas of nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy will enhance the centripetal force of the NPT regime, which is thought to be at stake. With this belief, we have submitted the package of proposed measures. In the package, the reaffirmation of the nuclear weapon states' unequivocal undertaking to totally eliminate nuclear weapons and the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), among other things, are included.
In other words, we have renewed the 13 items with regard to nuclear disarmament found in the final document of the 2000 NPT Review Conference. The path to integrating the package into a final document at this conference will be difficult, but we will patiently make efforts until the last day.
Do you think that one measure of the meeting's success is the adoption of a final document?
At the previous NPT Review Conference, the conference failed to go far enough to produce a final document, as it took time to decide on procedural matters and the nations had competing interests. The NPT Review Conference this time has drawn the attention of the international community. I strongly hope that each nation will find measures for which they can make concrete compromises with regard to the three pillars, and that we can produce a final document. Japan would like to pursue a final document, but we cannot foresee what will occur at the conference.
What sort of role will Japan play?
We need to continue sending to the world the message that Japan, as the only nation to have suffered nuclear attack, seeks a world without nuclear weapons. I hear that many elderly hibakusha will come to the venue of the conference. We hope they will convey their voices directly to the representatives of each nation. At the same time, we would like to acknowledge their feelings and send a similar message.
How will the "Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol," promoted by Mayors for Peace, be handled?
We take the protocol seriously and will fully review its implications. In concrete terms, we are still considering how to handle the protocol, but I believe we share the same goal.
Nuclear weapons continue to threaten humanity's very existence, even 40 years after the implementation of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and 20 years after the end of the Cold War between East and West. The NPT Review Conference, which will affect the future direction of nuclear weapons, will open on May 3 at U.N. Headquarters in New York. Human wisdom, courage, and actions in pursuit of the realization of "a world without nuclear weapons" have never been more needed. The leadership of the A-bombed nation of Japan is also being called into question.
During the eight years of the Bush administration, the United States maintained a "war on terror" backed by the strongest military in the world and pushed ahead with unilateral policies. As nuclear disarmament languished in a world ruled by hostility and violence, nuclear proliferation progressed, raising further the possibility of nuclear terrorism.
Replacing the Bush government, the Obama administration appeared in January 2009. U.S. President Barack Obama, who has advocated multilateral diplomacy with an emphasis on the United Nations and pledged to take action to realize "a world without nuclear weapons," has surely sparked a new trend toward nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation over the past year.
It can be said that, starting with the signing of the new disarmament treaty between the United States and Russia, Mr. Obama's positive stance toward nuclear issues has raised expectations in the international community for "a world without nuclear weapons." This reality will positively impact the NPT Review Conference.
However, even Mr. Obama declared that his nation would maintain nuclear deterrence, and stated that the elimination of nuclear weapons "will not be reached quickly -- perhaps not in my lifetime" in his speech in Prague a year ago.
None of the nuclear weapon states of the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and China, which all approved a resolution seeking the realization of "a world without nuclear weapons" last September, has changed its policy of relying on "nuclear deterrence." These nations do not show a sense of urgency about nuclear abolition, either. For A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, who, while fighting a variety of diseases, have been appealing for nuclear abolition at the earliest possible date, the progress is too slow.
The power of the Hiroshima-type atomic bomb and the Nagasaki-type atomic bomb is only equal to the power of a small tactical nuclear weapon today. The Japanese people know better than anyone the unimaginable destructive power a single atomic bomb can produce and the devastation that those two bombs caused and that has lingered to this day. Still, there are more than 20,000 nuclear weapons on the earth, which could extinguish the human race many times over, while thousands of nuclear warheads loaded onto missiles and other delivery systems are on a high-alert status, able to be launched within 30 minutes.
The chance that nuclear weapons will be used by intention, human error, or other reasons naturally increases as the number of nuclear weapon states, which stands at nine now, grows. Nuclear terrorism is a threat not only to the United States but also to the international community.
The early entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), the immediate start of negotiations for a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty and conclusion of the Cut-off Treaty in five years... This NPT Review Conference should not merely end up confirming these agreements that were made ten years ago.
Most importantly, a moral norm that the use of nuclear weapons is "a crime against humanity" should be established. This norm would lead to the nuclear weapons convention that U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, former leaders in many nations, an overwhelming number of non-nuclear weapon states, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have been calling for.
As symbolized by the secret nuclear pacts, the Japanese government has relied on the U.S. "nuclear umbrella" while it has appealed for nuclear abolition at the United Nations and other places. Under such circumstances, Japan cannot escape criticism of its "double standard."
Now is the time to leave the nuclear umbrella with courage and take the initiative in drafting a nuclear weapons convention to ban nuclear weapons, as chemical weapons and biological weapons have been banned. The NPT Review Conference is convened every five years. Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama should, without missing this opportunity, travel to the United Nations and convey to world leaders and others the wish for nuclear abolition on behalf of the A-bomb survivors.
Keywords
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT)
The Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) entered into force in 1970. Currently, about 190 nations are member states of the NPT. The NPT limits nuclear weapon states to five nations -- the United States, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, and China -- imposing on these nations the obligation to hold negotiations for nuclear disarmament. The NPT grants non-nuclear weapon states the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Meanwhile the treaty obliges the non-nuclear weapon states to conclude the inspection accord with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and prohibits them from producing and acquiring nuclear weapons.
During the initial stage, the NPT was settled on a temporary basis of 25 years, but was then indefinitely extended in 1995. The review conference is held every five years to verify the operating conditions of the treaty. The NPT has no standing inspection organization or secretariat, like the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) based on CTBT pact, so the United Nations provides oversight, such as holding the review conference.
Israel, India, and Pakistan have not joined the NPT. North Korea announced its withdrawal from the NPT for the second time in 2003.
"An unequivocal undertaking toward the elimination of nuclear weapons"
The phrase is one of the "13 articles for nuclear disarmament" stipulated in the final document, which was adopted unanimously, including support from the nuclear weapon states, at the 2000 NPT Review Conference. However, the next review conference held in 2005 produced no final agreement so that the "unequivocal undertaking" has been left unresolved for the past ten years.
Unanimous vote
The NPT Review Conference has set the rule that, in the case of making such decisions as adopting a final document, a unanimous vote is required. Thus, even one nation's opposition results in a failure of agreement. This requirement to effect a unanimous vote can make the agreement a product of compromises that use weak language. On the other hand, nations may also seek to avoid isolation from the international community over their opposition and this can lead to even greater agreement than they had originally intended.
Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol
The "Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol" was proposed by Mayors for Peace in April 2008. The protocol advocates a series of provisions: 1) Immediate cessation of activities which could lead to new acquisition of nuclear weapons by non-nuclear weapon states, as well as activities which could lead to the use of the weapons by nuclear weapon states. 2) Urging nuclear weapon states to initiate sincere negotiations toward an agreement for an international framework for the elimination of nuclear weapons. 3) Legislating the prohibition of activities which could lead to the acquisition and the use of nuclear weapons by the year 2015. 4) Implementing concrete programs which will achieve the elimination of nuclear weapons in 2020. As of April 2010, a total of 3,793 cities in 143 countries and regions have become members of Mayors for Peace.
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)
The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) prohibits nuclear tests accompanied by nuclear explosions in the atmosphere, in space, and underground. Currently, 182 nations have signed the treaty and 151 nations, including Japan, have ratified the treaty. To enter into force, the CTBT requires 44 designated countries which possess nuclear reactors for research and generation purposes to ratify the pact. However, six nations -- the United States, China, Indonesia, Iran, Egypt, and Israel -- have not ratified the treaty. North Korea, India, and Pakistan have even not signed the treaty.
Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT)
The Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) is also called the Cutoff Treaty. The FMCT aims at prohibiting the production of materials to be used for nuclear weapons, such as highly enriched uranium and weapon-grade plutonium. The treaty is expected to put restraint on new nuclear development. The Conference on Disarmament in Geneva serves as the international arena for concluding the treaty, but negotiations have remained stagnant due to each nation's competing interests.
(Originally published on April 23, 2010)
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Convey the voices of survivors and open the door to abolition
The Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference will open at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on May 3. The conference, held every five years, will continue for four weeks until May 28, and about 190 NPT member states will review past developments in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and discuss what steps should be taken by the international community over the five years to come. Some 2,000 citizens of Japan, including A-bomb survivors from Hiroshima, will head for the United States, hoping that the voices of the citizens of the A-bombed nation, who have been calling for nuclear abolition, will be reflected in the discussion. Sixty-five years have passed since the atomic bombings of August 1945. Will the door to "zero nuclear weapons" be opened at the conference, held in the country which dropped the bombs?
Nuclear disarmament: How clear will the promises be?
At the previous conference held in 2005, much of the time was spent on debating the agenda itself, the meeting's starting point, rather than on substantive discussion, and the gathering failed to produce any agreements. In contrast, the preparatory meeting held in spring 2009 already adopted the draft provisional agenda. Preparations have been made for substantive discussions on the three pillars of the NPT: nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
In January 2009, the United States, the foremost nuclear power, saw the emergence of a new leader when President Barack Obama, who supports efforts toward a world without nuclear weapons, replaced former President George W. Bush, who displayed indifference toward the NPT regime and nuclear disarmament. The United States has since announced that it will respect the NPT regime, and the change in posture of the superpower has been welcomed.
Various proposals on the subject have been made by a number of organizations, including Global Zero, a group of former heads of state and experts of different countries, and the International Commission for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament (ICNND), a joint initiative of the Japanese and Australian governments. These proposals for nuclear disarmament, eventually leading to nuclear abolition, have helped increase momentum for the elimination of these weapons.
Mr. Obama, eyeing the review conference, also demonstrated in April a positive stance toward enhancing the NPT regime by signing a new nuclear arms control agreement with Russia, hosting a nuclear security summit, and engaging in other efforts.
The United States has also set forth the "negative security assurance" (NSA) in the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), pledging not to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states. For nations which have chosen not to possess nuclear weapons and are members of the NPT, the NSA is only natural. Still, the U.S. pledge is a positive factor for the review conference.
At the same time, the United States has indicated that it will exclude Iran and North Korea from its NSA, arguing that these nations do not abide by the NPT. This has already provoked a strong reaction from Iran.
The crucial point for this year's review conference with regard to nuclear disarmament is the degree to which specific measures can be incorporated in the final document, particularly in reconfirming "an unequivocal undertaking toward the elimination of nuclear weapons." This was among the 13 steps contained in the final document of the 2000 review conference.
Imposing stricter obligations on the nuclear powers to disarm, for example, would help alleviate the sense of unfairness felt by non-nuclear weapon states, such as the Non-Aligned States. It would also serve as a basis for urging all nuclear weapon states, including France and China, to enter multilateral negotiations to reduce their weapons.
Another point of particular importance is how the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol will be handled. The protocol has been proposed by Mayors for Peace, headed by Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba, and the measure seeks to achieve the abolition of nuclear weapons by 2020.
Currently, about 23,000 nuclear warheads are said to exist around the world, a number that cannot be considered satisfactory in terms of nuclear disarmament. There has been no substantial progress in bringing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) into effect or in starting negotiations for a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty. In particular, the United States and China should show a more serious stand toward ratification of the CTBT.
Agenda to include nuclear non-proliferation, tougher IAEA inspections
Since the previous review conference, nuclear-weapon-free zone treaties have taken effect in Central Asia and Africa. However, North Korea has declared its withdrawal from the NPT and has conducted two nuclear tests. Iran's suspected nuclear development program has caused deep concern among the international community. No significant progress has been made in instituting specific and effective measures to prevent nuclear proliferation.
At this year's review conference, one of the key subjects for discussion will be increasing the number of ratifying nations of the Additional Protocol to enhance the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections as a measure to prevent countries from secretly developing nuclear weapons. Currently, only 96 nations have ratified the protocol.
In the 1995 review conference, it was decided that the NPT, which had been criticized as unfair, would be indefinitely extended. At the same time, the resolution on the Middle East was adopted, which aimed at making the region free of all weapons of mass destruction. But there have been no further developments since then. At the upcoming review conference, this issue may stir controversy. Egypt, frustrated by the nuclear arms maintained by Israel, which is a non-signatory of the NPT, is proposing an international conference for the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region.
Control of uranium enrichment is critical for the peaceful use of nuclear energy
The NPT defines the peaceful use of nuclear energy as an "inalienable right" of signatories, on condition that they accept IAEA inspections. But the peaceful use of nuclear energy poses a dilemma to nuclear non-proliferation efforts.
The more countries introduce nuclear power generation and the more they pursue nuclear fuel enrichment and reprocessing on their own, there will be increasing concerns with regard to the proliferation of sensitive technologies which can be converted to military purposes. With more nuclear power plants in operation, more plutonium will be contained in spent nuclear fuel.
Countries and organizations including the United States and the IAEA have proposed a "fuel bank," which would control the global supply of enriched uranium, and the concept of international control of the fuel cycle, including the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels. But Iran and other countries are likely to oppose these ideas and cling to their own uranium enrichment activities.
Enhancing the regime: What measures can prevent defiance and withdrawal?
To enhance the NPT regime, abiding by the treaty and applying it fairly are vital. The principles should be that nuclear weapon states fulfill their obligations of nuclear disarmament and non-nuclear-weapon states limit their use of nuclear energy to peaceful purposes.
While India has not joined the NPT, the country has been involved in developing nuclear weapons. And India and other countries, including the United States, have concluded the Nuclear Energy Cooperation Agreement, which is aimed at promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Not a few nations have a high level of mistrust toward what they call such "double standards." India's neighboring country and non-signatory, Pakistan, has also been engaged in nuclear development. This situation is symbolic of the hole in the NPT regime. Moreover, if signatories should break away from the NPT and pursue nuclear development programs in defiance of international criticism, like North Korea, it would be hard to stop them.
Japan and Australia jointly propose new package of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation measures
In March 2010, the Japanese government proposed "A New Package of Practical Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation Measures," jointly proposed with the Australian government for the 2010 Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference. It expresses the basic posture of the government of the A-bombed nation for the review conference to be held this year. The government will work to have the package reflected in the final document of the review conference.
The first article in the 16-article proposal urges the conference to reaffirm "an unequivocal undertaking toward the elimination of nuclear weapons." It also calls on all nuclear weapon states to commit themselves to not using nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states which comply with the NPT. Such wording is nearly the same as that articulated in the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) that the United States announced in April.
In the area of nuclear non-proliferation, the proposal stresses that all nations conclude the Additional Protocol for the NPT, which will strengthen inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The joint proposal is based on the final report of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND), which was released in December 2009. The ICNND was composed of members from Japan and Australia including former foreign ministers. "The Foreign Ministry of Japan has instructed all Japanese Embassies overseas to explain the contents of the proposal to each government to encourage their support," said Hideo Suzuki, director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
At the same time, Akira Kawasaki, executive committee member of Peace Boat, a Tokyo-based nongovernmental organization (NGO) who served as an NGO advisor to the ICNND, pointed out that the proposal "breaks no new ground. It backs off from the final report of the ICNND in terms of the reduction in the role of nuclear weapons. I feel it gives due consideration to the United States with regard to its nuclear policy."
Although international momentum for nuclear disarmament has grown more than ever before, it is expected that Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama will not participate in the review conference. It is not clear whether or not the A-bombed nation, which should be standing at the forefront of the elimination of nuclear weapons, can assume a leading role in the conference deliberations.
Information center to provide citizens with a base for activities
During the period the NPT Review Conference is held at U.N. Headquarters, which will serve as the meeting's venue, the voices of citizens from around the world, appealing for the elimination of nuclear weapons, will be heard at the site and in the vicinity.
A booth called the "Hiroshima and Nagasaki Information Center" will be set up in New York City beginning on April 30 for four days. The center is expected to serve as a base for exchanging information and providing support for approximately 100 people comprised of A-bomb survivors and members of peace organizations who will travel from Hiroshima.
The center facilities are transportable. On April 30 and May 1, the center with tables and poster boards will be placed inside the Riverside Church where an international gathering of citizens will be held. On May 2, the center will be moved to the end point of a demonstration march with tens of thousands of people who will march on Manhattan, starting from Times Square toward the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza across from U.N. Headquarters. Various activities will be conducted including the screening of an animated film created by Seitaro Kuroda, a Japanese illustrator, on the evening of May 2 in the plaza.
On May 3, when the review conference opens, a tent for the center will be set up on the same plaza to serve as a base for offering A-bomb survivors' accounts and citizens' exchange activities. A Hiroshima-based citizens' group called the "Yes! Campaign," with collaboration from Japanese nationals residing there and other figures, will operate the center.
Steven Leeper, chairman of the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, has joined the effort to prepare for the center by contacting people in Japan and the United States. "It will send a powerful message to have citizens of both A-bombed cities join hands for their appeal," Mr. Leeper said. Erika Abiko, 31, director of the effort, said, "We heard from people who traveled to the conference venue five years ago that they had some difficulty because they weren't able to communicate in English and they lacked places to conduct their activities. We would like to help the participants disseminate information in Japanese and share their valuable experiences with others."
Beginning at 8 p.m. on May 1 and May 3, events will be held where citizens of various cities, including Hiroshima, will gather at Union Square Park to illuminate the park with candles.
Interview with Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba: "I will appeal for nuclear abolition by 2020 with my utmost efforts"
by Junichiro Hayashi, Staff Writer
What sort of role will the A-bombed city of Hiroshima play in order to realize the elimination of nuclear weapons? The Chugoku Shimbun interviewed Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba, who will head to the United States to take part in the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, on his determination to impact the gathering.
Below are Mayor Akiba's comments:
Mayors for Peace, for which I serve as president, has been campaigning to have the "Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol," which presents a road map toward the elimination of nuclear weapons by 2020, adopted at this NPT Review Conference. We have directly requested of world leaders and others that their nations become sponsors of the protocol, and received such replies as "We will consider your request."
Prior to the NPT Review Conference, a conference of parties to nuclear-weapon-free zone treaties will be held in New York on April 30. Nations that are willing to play an active role in the elimination of nuclear weapons will gather on this occasion. I have been given the opportunity to deliver a speech at the conference. I will speak out for the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol and continue to make efforts to seek sponsor nations for the protocol until the last moment.
What is important in eliminating nuclear weapons is the will of political leaders. Hiroshima, which supports that will, plays a major role. Fresh energy can be generated by reflecting on the experiences of the atomic bombings, the starting point for all this, as well as by sharing the suffering that the A-bomb survivors have endured, along with their wish for nuclear abolition, which grew out of the devastating consequences of the bombings.
How will we take responsibility for the survivors? The message should not be that "It will take time to abolish nuclear weapons; let's take our time." It should be "Let us enter an era without nuclear weapons with as many survivors as possible."
Unfortunately, we have not been able to convey this message adequately so far. This is why Mayors for Peace has been calling for nuclear abolition with a deadline of "the year 2020."
I would like to turn the NPT Review Conference into an opportunity for human beings to become aware of their responsibilities. I will do my utmost efforts to that end.
Interview with Tetsuro Fukuyama, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Japan: "Tenacious efforts to be made in pursuit of adoption of final document"
by Kohei Okata, Staff Writer
In anticipation of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, Tetsuro Fukuyama, the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Japan, granted an interview to the Chugoku Shimbun. He stressed Japan's stance of calling on each nation to support "A New Package of Practical Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation Measures," which has been jointly proposed by Japan and Australia, and making efforts to have the package be reflected in the final document of the NPT Review Conference.
What do you think is the significance of this conference?
Historically, this conference is very important, as it will be held immediately after the world has begun to work on materializing the vision of a nuclear-free world, such as the Nuclear Security Summit and the new nuclear disarmament treaty signed by the United States and Russia, prompted by U.S. President Barack Obama's speech in Prague last April. Regarding Japan, Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada enthusiastically argued for a reduction in the role of nuclear weapons at the G8 Summit of Foreign Ministers last month. We would like to conscientiously bring this atmosphere to the conference.
What is the key to achieving concrete results?
Positive results in the three areas of nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy will enhance the centripetal force of the NPT regime, which is thought to be at stake. With this belief, we have submitted the package of proposed measures. In the package, the reaffirmation of the nuclear weapon states' unequivocal undertaking to totally eliminate nuclear weapons and the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), among other things, are included.
In other words, we have renewed the 13 items with regard to nuclear disarmament found in the final document of the 2000 NPT Review Conference. The path to integrating the package into a final document at this conference will be difficult, but we will patiently make efforts until the last day.
Do you think that one measure of the meeting's success is the adoption of a final document?
At the previous NPT Review Conference, the conference failed to go far enough to produce a final document, as it took time to decide on procedural matters and the nations had competing interests. The NPT Review Conference this time has drawn the attention of the international community. I strongly hope that each nation will find measures for which they can make concrete compromises with regard to the three pillars, and that we can produce a final document. Japan would like to pursue a final document, but we cannot foresee what will occur at the conference.
What sort of role will Japan play?
We need to continue sending to the world the message that Japan, as the only nation to have suffered nuclear attack, seeks a world without nuclear weapons. I hear that many elderly hibakusha will come to the venue of the conference. We hope they will convey their voices directly to the representatives of each nation. At the same time, we would like to acknowledge their feelings and send a similar message.
How will the "Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol," promoted by Mayors for Peace, be handled?
We take the protocol seriously and will fully review its implications. In concrete terms, we are still considering how to handle the protocol, but I believe we share the same goal.
A moral norm is needed: "The use of nuclear weapons is a crime"
by Akira Tashiro, Executive Director of the Hiroshima Peace Media Center
Nuclear weapons continue to threaten humanity's very existence, even 40 years after the implementation of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and 20 years after the end of the Cold War between East and West. The NPT Review Conference, which will affect the future direction of nuclear weapons, will open on May 3 at U.N. Headquarters in New York. Human wisdom, courage, and actions in pursuit of the realization of "a world without nuclear weapons" have never been more needed. The leadership of the A-bombed nation of Japan is also being called into question.
During the eight years of the Bush administration, the United States maintained a "war on terror" backed by the strongest military in the world and pushed ahead with unilateral policies. As nuclear disarmament languished in a world ruled by hostility and violence, nuclear proliferation progressed, raising further the possibility of nuclear terrorism.
Replacing the Bush government, the Obama administration appeared in January 2009. U.S. President Barack Obama, who has advocated multilateral diplomacy with an emphasis on the United Nations and pledged to take action to realize "a world without nuclear weapons," has surely sparked a new trend toward nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation over the past year.
It can be said that, starting with the signing of the new disarmament treaty between the United States and Russia, Mr. Obama's positive stance toward nuclear issues has raised expectations in the international community for "a world without nuclear weapons." This reality will positively impact the NPT Review Conference.
However, even Mr. Obama declared that his nation would maintain nuclear deterrence, and stated that the elimination of nuclear weapons "will not be reached quickly -- perhaps not in my lifetime" in his speech in Prague a year ago.
None of the nuclear weapon states of the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and China, which all approved a resolution seeking the realization of "a world without nuclear weapons" last September, has changed its policy of relying on "nuclear deterrence." These nations do not show a sense of urgency about nuclear abolition, either. For A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, who, while fighting a variety of diseases, have been appealing for nuclear abolition at the earliest possible date, the progress is too slow.
The power of the Hiroshima-type atomic bomb and the Nagasaki-type atomic bomb is only equal to the power of a small tactical nuclear weapon today. The Japanese people know better than anyone the unimaginable destructive power a single atomic bomb can produce and the devastation that those two bombs caused and that has lingered to this day. Still, there are more than 20,000 nuclear weapons on the earth, which could extinguish the human race many times over, while thousands of nuclear warheads loaded onto missiles and other delivery systems are on a high-alert status, able to be launched within 30 minutes.
The chance that nuclear weapons will be used by intention, human error, or other reasons naturally increases as the number of nuclear weapon states, which stands at nine now, grows. Nuclear terrorism is a threat not only to the United States but also to the international community.
The early entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), the immediate start of negotiations for a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty and conclusion of the Cut-off Treaty in five years... This NPT Review Conference should not merely end up confirming these agreements that were made ten years ago.
Most importantly, a moral norm that the use of nuclear weapons is "a crime against humanity" should be established. This norm would lead to the nuclear weapons convention that U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, former leaders in many nations, an overwhelming number of non-nuclear weapon states, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have been calling for.
As symbolized by the secret nuclear pacts, the Japanese government has relied on the U.S. "nuclear umbrella" while it has appealed for nuclear abolition at the United Nations and other places. Under such circumstances, Japan cannot escape criticism of its "double standard."
Now is the time to leave the nuclear umbrella with courage and take the initiative in drafting a nuclear weapons convention to ban nuclear weapons, as chemical weapons and biological weapons have been banned. The NPT Review Conference is convened every five years. Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama should, without missing this opportunity, travel to the United Nations and convey to world leaders and others the wish for nuclear abolition on behalf of the A-bomb survivors.
Keywords
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT)
The Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) entered into force in 1970. Currently, about 190 nations are member states of the NPT. The NPT limits nuclear weapon states to five nations -- the United States, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, and China -- imposing on these nations the obligation to hold negotiations for nuclear disarmament. The NPT grants non-nuclear weapon states the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Meanwhile the treaty obliges the non-nuclear weapon states to conclude the inspection accord with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and prohibits them from producing and acquiring nuclear weapons.
During the initial stage, the NPT was settled on a temporary basis of 25 years, but was then indefinitely extended in 1995. The review conference is held every five years to verify the operating conditions of the treaty. The NPT has no standing inspection organization or secretariat, like the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) based on CTBT pact, so the United Nations provides oversight, such as holding the review conference.
Israel, India, and Pakistan have not joined the NPT. North Korea announced its withdrawal from the NPT for the second time in 2003.
"An unequivocal undertaking toward the elimination of nuclear weapons"
The phrase is one of the "13 articles for nuclear disarmament" stipulated in the final document, which was adopted unanimously, including support from the nuclear weapon states, at the 2000 NPT Review Conference. However, the next review conference held in 2005 produced no final agreement so that the "unequivocal undertaking" has been left unresolved for the past ten years.
Unanimous vote
The NPT Review Conference has set the rule that, in the case of making such decisions as adopting a final document, a unanimous vote is required. Thus, even one nation's opposition results in a failure of agreement. This requirement to effect a unanimous vote can make the agreement a product of compromises that use weak language. On the other hand, nations may also seek to avoid isolation from the international community over their opposition and this can lead to even greater agreement than they had originally intended.
Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol
The "Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol" was proposed by Mayors for Peace in April 2008. The protocol advocates a series of provisions: 1) Immediate cessation of activities which could lead to new acquisition of nuclear weapons by non-nuclear weapon states, as well as activities which could lead to the use of the weapons by nuclear weapon states. 2) Urging nuclear weapon states to initiate sincere negotiations toward an agreement for an international framework for the elimination of nuclear weapons. 3) Legislating the prohibition of activities which could lead to the acquisition and the use of nuclear weapons by the year 2015. 4) Implementing concrete programs which will achieve the elimination of nuclear weapons in 2020. As of April 2010, a total of 3,793 cities in 143 countries and regions have become members of Mayors for Peace.
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)
The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) prohibits nuclear tests accompanied by nuclear explosions in the atmosphere, in space, and underground. Currently, 182 nations have signed the treaty and 151 nations, including Japan, have ratified the treaty. To enter into force, the CTBT requires 44 designated countries which possess nuclear reactors for research and generation purposes to ratify the pact. However, six nations -- the United States, China, Indonesia, Iran, Egypt, and Israel -- have not ratified the treaty. North Korea, India, and Pakistan have even not signed the treaty.
Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT)
The Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) is also called the Cutoff Treaty. The FMCT aims at prohibiting the production of materials to be used for nuclear weapons, such as highly enriched uranium and weapon-grade plutonium. The treaty is expected to put restraint on new nuclear development. The Conference on Disarmament in Geneva serves as the international arena for concluding the treaty, but negotiations have remained stagnant due to each nation's competing interests.
(Originally published on April 23, 2010)
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