Japan welcomes accord on nuclear nonproliferation

TOKYO, May 21 Kyodo - The Japanese government on Sunday welcomed the adoption of a document at the U.N. nonproliferation conference in which the five declared nuclear powers pledged to eliminate their nuclear arsenals.

''It is very significant for promoting nuclear disarmament,'' Foreign Minister Yohei Kono said in a statement.

The government also welcomed the inclusion of selected Japanese proposals in the document.

Japan made an eight-point proposal including an early entry-into-force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and the immediate commencement of negotiations on a non-discriminatory, multilateral and verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons.==Kyodo