Japan intends to play a leadership role at the Nuclear...

Japan intends to play a leadership role at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review meeting currently being held in New York. The country aims to morally employ its long-touted victim credentials to fill the power vacuum it feels now exists due to the U.S. not ratifying the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).Japan's eight-point initiative seeks to address issues related to disarmament, non-proliferation, and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The country is pushing for the implementation of the CTBT, which bans all nuclear explosions, and is calling for a global reduction of nuclear arsenals. Additionally, Japan is advocating for the establishment of a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East, and for a strengthened role for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in monitoring compliance with the NPT.At the NPT review meeting, Japan is positioning itself as a leader in the global effort to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and promote disarmament. The country's unique experience as the only nation to have suffered a nuclear attack has given it a strong moral authority on these issues.

Saturday, 22 April, 2000