Japanese foreign minister says U.S. must be involved in efforts to abolish nuclear arms
Nov. 11, 2016
by Kenichiro Nozaki, Staff Writer
On November 10, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, a lawmaker who represents Hiroshima District No. 1, stressed that “Progress toward a world without nuclear weapons is impossible without the involvement of the United States.” Mr. Kishida made this comment after Republican Donald Trump, who has made provocative statements about nuclear policy, won the U.S. presidential race. Mr. Kishida added that the Japanese government, while carefully observing the transition to a new administration in the United States, would cooperate in efforts to advance the abolition of nuclear weapons.
Mr. Kishida made these remarks in an interview with the Chugoku Shimbun in Tokyo. Among other statements, Mr. Trump has suggested that nuclear weapons could be used against terrorist groups. Mr. Kishida said, “It is vital that the United States, the world’s biggest nuclear weapon state, become involved in the abolition of nuclear weapons.” He went on, “The Japanese government will keep keen watch over how things go in the United States.”
Mr. Trump has also indicated that Japan and South Korea may need to arm themselves with nuclear weapons. Mr. Kishida stressed, “Japan will never move toward possessing nuclear weapons in the future.” Mentioning that this year the United States jointly proposed a Japan-led resolution that calls for the abolition of nuclear arms, the foreign minister said, “Japan will continue to serve as a bridge for the abolition of nuclear weapons.”
Mr. Trump has also categorically stated that the United States would withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP). On November 10, at a meeting of the Kochikai, a mainstream faction of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (for which Mr. Kishida serves as leader), he pointed to the importance of a trade agreement like the TPP and said, “Japan depends on free trade and economic ties have a strategic significance.”
(Originally published on November 11, 2016)
On November 10, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, a lawmaker who represents Hiroshima District No. 1, stressed that “Progress toward a world without nuclear weapons is impossible without the involvement of the United States.” Mr. Kishida made this comment after Republican Donald Trump, who has made provocative statements about nuclear policy, won the U.S. presidential race. Mr. Kishida added that the Japanese government, while carefully observing the transition to a new administration in the United States, would cooperate in efforts to advance the abolition of nuclear weapons.
Mr. Kishida made these remarks in an interview with the Chugoku Shimbun in Tokyo. Among other statements, Mr. Trump has suggested that nuclear weapons could be used against terrorist groups. Mr. Kishida said, “It is vital that the United States, the world’s biggest nuclear weapon state, become involved in the abolition of nuclear weapons.” He went on, “The Japanese government will keep keen watch over how things go in the United States.”
Mr. Trump has also indicated that Japan and South Korea may need to arm themselves with nuclear weapons. Mr. Kishida stressed, “Japan will never move toward possessing nuclear weapons in the future.” Mentioning that this year the United States jointly proposed a Japan-led resolution that calls for the abolition of nuclear arms, the foreign minister said, “Japan will continue to serve as a bridge for the abolition of nuclear weapons.”
Mr. Trump has also categorically stated that the United States would withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP). On November 10, at a meeting of the Kochikai, a mainstream faction of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (for which Mr. Kishida serves as leader), he pointed to the importance of a trade agreement like the TPP and said, “Japan depends on free trade and economic ties have a strategic significance.”
(Originally published on November 11, 2016)
