2002 NPT PrepCom

2002 NPT Preparatory Committee (PrepCom)
8 - 19 April 2002, New York

NPT/CONF.2005/PC.I/14

Preparatory Committee for the 2005 Review
Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

Original: English
First session
New York, 8-19 April 2002

Implementation of article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and paragraph 4 (c) of the 1995 Decision on "Principles and objectives for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament"

Report submitted by Japan

In accordance with subparagraph 12 of paragraph 15 in the Chapter on Article VI of the Final Document of the 2000 NPT Review Conference, the Government of Japan reports on the measures it has taken to implement Article VI of the NPT and paragraph 4 (c) of the 1995 Decision on "Principles and Objectives for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament."

1. Submission of Resolutions on Nuclear Disarmament to UN General Assembly

Every year since 1994, Japan has submitted to the UN General Assembly a draft resolution on nuclear disarmament, which has been adopted every year with the overwhelming support of the international community. In 2000 and 2001, Japan submitted a resolution entitled "A Path to the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons" which reflected the thirteen practical disarmament steps agreed in the Final Document of the 2000 Review Conference, toward the realization of a world free of nuclear weapons.

2. Contribution toward the successful start of the 2005 NPT Review Process

In late February of this year, Japan convened an international workshop in Tokyo entitled "Perspective of the NPT in the 21st Century: towards the 2005 NPT Review Conference," offering an opportunity for governmental and non-governmental experts on nuclear issues to have a "tune-up" discussion on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation to facilitate the work of the Preparatory Committee of the NPT Review Conference.

3. Diplomatic efforts to facilitate the entry into force of the CTBT

Japan emphasizes the importance of the early entry into force of the CTBT which, together with the IAEA safeguards, constitutes one of the major pillars of the NPT regime. From this position, Japan has made various diplomatic efforts, including the following:

· The then Foreign Minister Komura chaired the First Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the CTBT held in Vienna in October 1999;

· Since the First Conference, Japan, as a coordinator, has contributed to practical preparations for the Second Conference;

· Successive Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers have sent their messages repeatedly to request those countries that have not yet signed or ratified the Treaty to do so;

· Japan has dispatched high-level governmental missions to dozens of countries including Algeria, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the United States, and Vietnam for the purpose of encouraging their signature and ratification;

· Japan has also encouraged ratification by, for example, providing technical assistance in the field of earthquake monitoring technology for the establishment of the International Monitoring System.

4. Activities in preparation for the commencement of the FMCT negotiations

In May 2001, Japan and Australia co-hosted a workshop on FMCT in Geneva for the purpose of maintaining political momentum to commence the FMCT negotiations, and engaging the participants in substantive discussions on the FMCT.

5. Cooperation with the NIS (Newly Independent States) for nuclear disarmament

The international community must make every effort to ensure safety in the processing and disposal of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction in the former Soviet Union States although the primary responsibility for dismantling these weapons lies with those countries that possess them. Japan is committed to joining such international efforts. For this purpose, in April 1993 Japan contributed $100 million of grant aid, and in June 1999 committed itself to providing assistance for additional projects taking the total value to $200 million.

Of the total amount, about $172 million has been allocated for Russia, and the rest for Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine. The main areas of assistance to Russia are: (1) dismantling of decommissioned nuclear submarines in the Far East; (2) construction of a new floating facility to dispose of low-level liquid radioactive waste derived from the destruction and dismantling of Russian nuclear submarines; (3) disposition of surplus plutonium no longer required for military purposes; and (4) support for the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC).

6. Receiving participants in the UN Disarmament Fellowship Program

Since 1982, Japan has invited more than 400 U.N. disarmament fellows to Japan including visits to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, providing these young officials, who will be responsible for future disarmament diplomacy, with an opportunity to witness the horrendous and long-lasting consequences that atomic bombs wreaked. Japan will continue to contribute to this program as it has done so far.

7. "Hiroshima-Nagasaki Atomic bomb exhibition"

Japan believes that the international community should be well informed of the destructive effects of nuclear weapons. In accordance with the wish of the people of Japan that such weapons will never again be used, the Government of Japan has supported on a number of occasions the efforts of local governments and NGOs to organize exhibitions relating to atomic bombs in foreign countries.

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