Japan abstains from voting on UN resolutions abolishing nuclear weapons

Japan Press Weekly

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Japan abstains from voting on UN resolutions abolishing nuclear weapons - Akahata editorial (excerpts)

The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution proposed by Malaysia and Costa Rica with the overwhelming majority of votes calling for the start of negotiations towards an early conclusion of a treaty banning nuclear weapons. A resolution submitted by the New Agenda Coalition, which consists of seven countries including Brazil, was also adopted seeking an implementation of measures to totally abolish nuclear weapons. Japan, however, abstained from voting on both resolutions.

All nuclear weapons-possessing nations should immediately embark on negotiations towards a conclusion of an anti-nuclear weapons treaty, and not put off dealing with the task of creating a world without nuclear weapons.

It is shameful for the only atomic-bombed nation to have abstained on the votes. Japan insists that nuclear abolition measures should be practical and realistic so that nuclear states can accept these measures and argues that the resolution calling for the start of negotiations on a zero-nuclear weapons pact does not meet this requirement.

The Japanese government led by the Democratic Party of Japan relies on the U.S. nuclear umbrella and maintains its nuclear deterrence policy. That is why Japan was reluctant to vote for a total ban on nuclear weapons.

The nuclear deterrence policy ties the nuclear powers to maintaining their nuclear arsenals and runs counter to the global trend for a nuclear-free world.

It is essential to negate this policy in order to encourage the nuclear-weapons states to decide on starting negotiations for a nuclear-free world.

- Akahata, December 12, 2010