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Foreign minister expresses strong intention to back joint statement on nuclear weapons

by Jumpei Fujimura, Staff Writer

On September 17, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, elected from district one in Hiroshima, indicated that he has heard the next international joint statement emphasizing the inhumanity of nuclear weapons will be finalized as early as next month. Mr. Kishida reaffirmed that the Japanese government will make every effort to support the new statement.

Mr. Kishida shared details of his meetings with his counterparts from New Zealand and Malaysia, who have been central to the process of drafting the new joint statement. He said that he explained Japan’s stance and sought understanding for this position. He expressed determination to have Japan’s efforts help shape the outcome, while acknowledging that Japan’s decision whether or not to finally endorse the statement will also depend on other nations, which hold their own particular positions.

In October, the First Committee of the U.N. General Assembly (Disarmament and International Security Committee) will gather in New York. A joint statement on nuclear arms was released when the committee met around the same time last year.

In the second session of the Preparatory Committee of the NPT Review Conference, Japan did not back a joint statement on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons, saying it would conflict with Japan’s security policy. The government, however, said that it supports the basic idea of the statement and expressed its desire to make efforts to endorse a similar statement in the future.

(Originally published on September 18, 2013)

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