December 3, 2007
Akahata editorial (excerpts)
The U.N. General Assembly First Committee in late October approved a Japan-proposed resolution “Renewed Determination toward the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons” by a record of vote of 162 in favor to 3 against (U.S., India, North Korea), with 10 abstentions (including China and France). The resolution will be put to a vote in the UNGA plenary session in early December.
Although the resolution calls for “the total elimination of nuclear weapons,” it stops short of providing effective measures conducive to concluding an international treaty completely banning nuclear weapons or to paving the way for negotiations for drafting the treaty, naturally arousing doubts about its effectiveness.
The resolution fails to demand that nuclear-weapons states eliminate their nuclear arsenals. It is a serious setback that the resolution does not require these states to implement the unequivocal undertaking to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals which they agreed to during the 2000 NPT Review Conference.
Japan abstained from voting on a resolution submitted by Malaysia and 27 other countries calling for a start of negotiations aimed at the early conclusion of a treaty totally banning nuclear weapons and on a non-aligned resolution calling for an immediate halt to nuclear-weapons development, manufacturing, and stockpiling.
Furthermore, the Japanese government has opposed the launch of such negotiations on the grounds that it is too early to call for the initiation of multinational negotiations leading to an early conclusion of a treaty totally banning nuclear weapon. While advocating the total elimination of nuclear weapons, Japan, in effect, is acting to block the conclusion of such a treaty.
The Japanese government proposed such an ineffective resolution apparently because it is in subordination to the U.S. nuclear policy.
In July this year, U.S. energy, defense, and state secretaries jointly submitted to Congress a statement that declares, “Nuclear weapons will continue to be required for the foreseeable future.”
The U.S. government keeps expanding its nuclear attack posture. Its documents on nuclear strategy make clear that targets of U.S. nuclear attack are expanded to Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Libya.
The Japanese government should call on the United States to eliminate its nuclear arsenal, and shift its policy to one of starting negotiations aimed at concluding a treaty totally banning nuclear weapons.
Japan is the only A-bombed nation in the world. It should promote diplomacy focusing on the abolition of nuclear weapons and increase international trust in Japan. The task now is for Japan to play a leading role in blocking the emergence of more nuclear weapons-countries. - Akahata, December 3, 2007
* * *
The United Nations General Assembly on December 5 adopted the Japan-proposed resolution by a vote of 170 in favor to 3 against (U.S/, India, North Korea), with 9 abstentions.
The U.N. General Assembly First Committee in late October approved a Japan-proposed resolution “Renewed Determination toward the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons” by a record of vote of 162 in favor to 3 against (U.S., India, North Korea), with 10 abstentions (including China and France). The resolution will be put to a vote in the UNGA plenary session in early December.
Although the resolution calls for “the total elimination of nuclear weapons,” it stops short of providing effective measures conducive to concluding an international treaty completely banning nuclear weapons or to paving the way for negotiations for drafting the treaty, naturally arousing doubts about its effectiveness.
The resolution fails to demand that nuclear-weapons states eliminate their nuclear arsenals. It is a serious setback that the resolution does not require these states to implement the unequivocal undertaking to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals which they agreed to during the 2000 NPT Review Conference.
Japan abstained from voting on a resolution submitted by Malaysia and 27 other countries calling for a start of negotiations aimed at the early conclusion of a treaty totally banning nuclear weapons and on a non-aligned resolution calling for an immediate halt to nuclear-weapons development, manufacturing, and stockpiling.
Furthermore, the Japanese government has opposed the launch of such negotiations on the grounds that it is too early to call for the initiation of multinational negotiations leading to an early conclusion of a treaty totally banning nuclear weapon. While advocating the total elimination of nuclear weapons, Japan, in effect, is acting to block the conclusion of such a treaty.
The Japanese government proposed such an ineffective resolution apparently because it is in subordination to the U.S. nuclear policy.
In July this year, U.S. energy, defense, and state secretaries jointly submitted to Congress a statement that declares, “Nuclear weapons will continue to be required for the foreseeable future.”
The U.S. government keeps expanding its nuclear attack posture. Its documents on nuclear strategy make clear that targets of U.S. nuclear attack are expanded to Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Libya.
The Japanese government should call on the United States to eliminate its nuclear arsenal, and shift its policy to one of starting negotiations aimed at concluding a treaty totally banning nuclear weapons.
Japan is the only A-bombed nation in the world. It should promote diplomacy focusing on the abolition of nuclear weapons and increase international trust in Japan. The task now is for Japan to play a leading role in blocking the emergence of more nuclear weapons-countries. - Akahata, December 3, 2007
* * *
The United Nations General Assembly on December 5 adopted the Japan-proposed resolution by a vote of 170 in favor to 3 against (U.S/, India, North Korea), with 9 abstentions.
