Atomic bomb survivors, Japanese foreign ministry officials and experts have discussed how to pursue nuclear disarmament.
An online symposium on nuclear disarmament took place on Friday, ahead of the September 26 International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. The event was organized by a Japanese NGO and the United Nations Information Centre.
The speakers included Ito Shigeki, Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Ministry’s Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Science Department.
He said the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which involves nuclear powers and non-nuclear powers, is the only realistic way to achieve nuclear abolition. He added that maintaining and strengthening the treaty is important.
A participant pointed out the limitations of the NPT framework, citing last month’s review conference of the treaty, which failed to adopt a final document.
Ito responded that Russia is to blame for the outcome of the conference, because it objected to the final document, so it’s not accurate to claim that the NPT does not work.
He added that other nations at the conference shared the view that the treaty is necessary.
The symposium also discussed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which Japan has not ratified.
An atomic bomb survivor, Wada Masako, noted that the treaty came into being as there had been no progress in the NPT. She said the two treaties are integral and complementary to each other.
Other participants also called for Japan’s participation in the nuclear ban treaty.
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