Japan Press Weekly

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2017 December 6 - 12 [PEACE]

Japan should urge N-powers to join UN N-ban treaty: JCP Inoue

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Inoue Satoshi on December 5 at a Foreign Affairs Committee meeting of the Diet demanded that the Japanese government sign the UN treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons and urge nuclear weapons states to join the treaty.

Inoue criticized the government for submitting to the UN General Assembly a resolution avoiding making any reference to the N-ban treaty.

The day before, the UNGA adopted a series of resolutions by majority vote to welcome the adoption of the treaty banning nuclear weapons. The number of states in favor increased by three to 125 since the ban-the-nuke negotiations were being conducted in July.

On the other hand, the Japan-presented resolution lost support by eleven. Such countries as Austria, Brazil, and South Africa regarded Japan's proposal as a lamentable retrogression and abstained from voting, unlike their approval vote last year.

JCP Inoue pointed out, "Japan in this year's draft resolution deleted 'all' from the last year's resolution which read, 'all nuclear weapons' will bring about catastrophic humanitarian consequences."

Inoue also noted, "Japan deleted the mention of the NPT Article 6 which stipulates the obligation of nuclear disarmament and also deleted the phrase 'unequivocal commitment to eliminate nuclear weapons' made upon by nuclear weapons states in the 2000 NPT Review Conference."

The JCP representative severely criticized the Japanese government for behaving like a subordinate pleasing allied nuclear weapons possessing nations.

Past related articles:
> ‘Mayors for Peace’ calls on all countries to join UN N-ban treaty [August 11, 2017]
> Nuclear weapons ban treaty examines Japan’s responsibility as A-bombed nation [July 12, 2017]
> JCP Chair Shii issues statement to welcome the nuclear weapons ban treaty [July 9, 2017]