"The World and Japan" Database (Project Leader: TANAKA Akihiko)
Database of Japanese Politics and International Relations
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS); Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (IASA), The University of Tokyo

[Title] Remarks by H.E. Mr. Fumio KISHIDA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan At the Side Event Hosted by the Hiroshima Prefecture

[Place]
[Date] May 2, 2017
[Source] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
[Notes]
[Full text]

Good afternoon, I am Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan. It is my great honor to be able to attend this side event hosted by Hiroshima prefecture, my hometown, on the very first day of the 2020 NPT review process.

As the only country to have ever suffered atomic bombing, spreading awareness of the realities of the disaster of Hiroshima and Nagasaki beyond borders and generations is our mission and responsibility. A correct recognition of the humanitarian consequences of the use of nuclear weapon is serving as the basis for the international community to work together towards “a world free of nuclear weapons". In this connection, clear message from the civil society of the city which suffered atomic bombing is playing a very important role.

On that basis, rebuilding of confidence and trust among both nuclear-weapon states and non-nuclear-weapon states has become an urgent issue. As I have mentioned in my speech at the general debates today, I would like to focus on the following 3 measures in continuing my efforts to bridge the gap of the international community on approaches in how to proceed with nuclear disarmament; (1) Confidence building through enhancing transparency, (2) Improvement of security environment in order to reduce the incentive to possess nuclear weapons, and (3) Raising awareness of the reality of the use of nuclear weapons and the risk of its proliferation.

The NPT regime is precisely the cornerstone of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime, and in this sense, the success of the 2020 NPT Review Conference is extremely important. As the only country to have ever suffered atomic bombing, Japan is determined to make its utmost efforts to bridge the nuclear-weapon states and non-nuclear-weapon states, and to realize "a world free of nuclear weapons".

Finally, I would like to wish you all the best for today's event and I look forward to hearing the outcomes of the meaningful discussions.

Thank you for your kind attention.