Commentary: A-bombed nation’s dilemma deepens by avoiding U.N. talks to ban nuclear weapons
Mar. 29, 2017
by Michiko Tanaka, Staff Writer
Despite delivering a speech on the first day of U.N. talks to establish a treaty to outlaw nuclear weapons, the Japanese government announced that it would not take part in the subsequent negotiations. The bewildering stance that the Japanese government has taken concerning the conference has highlighted the conflicting conditions in which Japan, while identifying itself as the only nation to have suffered nuclear attack, continues to rely on the U.S. nuclear umbrella for its security. Japan’s dilemma now deepens even further.
Voices within the government which opposed taking part in these treaty negotiations grew in strength by asserting that Japan’s security is deteriorating due to provocations by North Korea, which continues its development of nuclear weapons and missiles, and other factors. Last year, Japan voted against the resolution at the U.N. General Assembly which called for the start of these negotiations to discuss a nuclear ban treaty. Nevertheless, the government still sent its disarmament ambassador, Nobushige Takamizawa, to the talks to convey its message. Then, after the negotiations began, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida announced that Japan would not take part. It seems that the A-bombed nation continues to waver between opposition within the government and public opinion both in and out of Japan, which is seeking to make nuclear weapons illegal.
On March 28, Mr. Kishida, who had previously expressed his willingness to join the talks, referred to a framework like the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), which is made up of both nuclear and non-nuclear nations. “I believe continuing our dogged efforts is a realistic approach and the shortest path to realizing a world without nuclear weapons,” he said. However, such efforts have been moving so slowly that the non-nuclear nations have decided to forge ahead for a means to banish nuclear weapons, the long-held hopes of the A-bomb survivors. In the end, Japan, which has declared itself to be a “bridge” between the two sides, took a step closer to the nuclear powers and created another hurdle for non-nuclear diplomacy.
(Originally published on March 29, 2017)
Despite delivering a speech on the first day of U.N. talks to establish a treaty to outlaw nuclear weapons, the Japanese government announced that it would not take part in the subsequent negotiations. The bewildering stance that the Japanese government has taken concerning the conference has highlighted the conflicting conditions in which Japan, while identifying itself as the only nation to have suffered nuclear attack, continues to rely on the U.S. nuclear umbrella for its security. Japan’s dilemma now deepens even further.
Voices within the government which opposed taking part in these treaty negotiations grew in strength by asserting that Japan’s security is deteriorating due to provocations by North Korea, which continues its development of nuclear weapons and missiles, and other factors. Last year, Japan voted against the resolution at the U.N. General Assembly which called for the start of these negotiations to discuss a nuclear ban treaty. Nevertheless, the government still sent its disarmament ambassador, Nobushige Takamizawa, to the talks to convey its message. Then, after the negotiations began, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida announced that Japan would not take part. It seems that the A-bombed nation continues to waver between opposition within the government and public opinion both in and out of Japan, which is seeking to make nuclear weapons illegal.
On March 28, Mr. Kishida, who had previously expressed his willingness to join the talks, referred to a framework like the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), which is made up of both nuclear and non-nuclear nations. “I believe continuing our dogged efforts is a realistic approach and the shortest path to realizing a world without nuclear weapons,” he said. However, such efforts have been moving so slowly that the non-nuclear nations have decided to forge ahead for a means to banish nuclear weapons, the long-held hopes of the A-bomb survivors. In the end, Japan, which has declared itself to be a “bridge” between the two sides, took a step closer to the nuclear powers and created another hurdle for non-nuclear diplomacy.
(Originally published on March 29, 2017)
