Japan supports statement against use of nuclear weapons
Oct. 25, 2013
by Junpei Fujimura and Osamu Kido, Staff Writers
Japan has for the first time lent its support to a joint statement that cites the inhumanity of nuclear weapons and opposes their use. Upon its October 22 announcement, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida explained the government’s reasons for signing the statement. Mr. Kishida, who represents Hiroshima’s First District in the House of Representatives, cited the addition, at Japan’s request, of language recognizing “all approaches and efforts toward disarmament” and the statement’s consistency with Japan’s security policy. He also stressed that there had been no change in Japan’s reliance on the nuclear deterrence of the United States.
At a press conference Mr. Kishida said, “After carefully examining the entire statement, we determined that it was consistent with Japan’s practical approach to nuclear disarmament and our security policy.” With regard to the statement’s focus on the inhumanity of nuclear weapons, the foreign minister said, “As the only country to have suffered wartime atomic bombing and the country that best knows the horrors associated with the use of nuclear weapons, we can support the statement.”
Japan had declined to sign previous statements citing this language: “It is in the interest of the very survival of humanity that nuclear weapons are never used again, under any circumstances.” This wording also appears in the current statement. Mr. Kishida said Japan regarded the statement as inspired by the desire of humankind and as an expression of political will, and he suggested that it left Japan free to rely on the U.S. nuclear umbrella.
He further said, “Japan will continue to lead efforts by the international community to bring about a world without nuclear weapons.” Mr. Kishida also expressed a desire to hammer out specific disarmament proposals at the next ministerial meeting of the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI) to be held in Hiroshima in April of next year. NPDI is an international framework consisting of 12 non-nuclear nations, including Japan.
Meanwhile, at a separate press conference on the same day, Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said, “Bringing about a world without nuclear weapons is the basic philosophy of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and he directed the diplomatic authorities to see that Japan’s philosophy was incorporated into the statement.” Mr. Suga also emphasized that it was the prime minister who had decided on the policy to lend support to the statement.
(Originally published on October 23, 2013)
Foreign minister says it is consistent with security policy
Japan has for the first time lent its support to a joint statement that cites the inhumanity of nuclear weapons and opposes their use. Upon its October 22 announcement, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida explained the government’s reasons for signing the statement. Mr. Kishida, who represents Hiroshima’s First District in the House of Representatives, cited the addition, at Japan’s request, of language recognizing “all approaches and efforts toward disarmament” and the statement’s consistency with Japan’s security policy. He also stressed that there had been no change in Japan’s reliance on the nuclear deterrence of the United States.
At a press conference Mr. Kishida said, “After carefully examining the entire statement, we determined that it was consistent with Japan’s practical approach to nuclear disarmament and our security policy.” With regard to the statement’s focus on the inhumanity of nuclear weapons, the foreign minister said, “As the only country to have suffered wartime atomic bombing and the country that best knows the horrors associated with the use of nuclear weapons, we can support the statement.”
Japan had declined to sign previous statements citing this language: “It is in the interest of the very survival of humanity that nuclear weapons are never used again, under any circumstances.” This wording also appears in the current statement. Mr. Kishida said Japan regarded the statement as inspired by the desire of humankind and as an expression of political will, and he suggested that it left Japan free to rely on the U.S. nuclear umbrella.
He further said, “Japan will continue to lead efforts by the international community to bring about a world without nuclear weapons.” Mr. Kishida also expressed a desire to hammer out specific disarmament proposals at the next ministerial meeting of the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI) to be held in Hiroshima in April of next year. NPDI is an international framework consisting of 12 non-nuclear nations, including Japan.
Meanwhile, at a separate press conference on the same day, Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said, “Bringing about a world without nuclear weapons is the basic philosophy of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and he directed the diplomatic authorities to see that Japan’s philosophy was incorporated into the statement.” Mr. Suga also emphasized that it was the prime minister who had decided on the policy to lend support to the statement.
(Originally published on October 23, 2013)
