Statement by Ambassador Mr. Toshiro OZAWA on Cluster 3 at the First Preparatory Committee for the 2015 Review Conference for the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
2012/5/9
Mr. Chairman,
As Cluster III deals with the issue of peaceful uses of nuclear energy, before starting my statement, please let me reiterate my sincere gratitude to all countries, worldwide for the heartwarming encouragement and support kindly rendered to us in coping with the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, and the accident at the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.
Mr. Chairman,
It is expected that a number of countries around the world, particularly in Asia, will continue to reinforce or initiate nuclear power generation. The high growth of the demand for energy and the wish to mitigate the carbon emissions from power generation are the driving forces behind this phenomenon, and we note that the IAEA estimates that about 90 (low projection) to 350 (high projection) more nuclear power stations are likely to be completed by 2030. In addition, the benefits of the use of nuclear technologies for health and other non-power applications have become well known, and expectations for enhanced access and usage of these technologies is now shared globally. In such circumstances, we should acknowledge that international cooperation on non-proliferation, nuclear safety and security have become more important than ever.
Japan began to embark on its nuclear power program in 1957. We had put a priority on safety in developing our nuclear power industry which, until recently, had grown to more than 50 nuclear reactors. The accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, however, has dealt a serious blow to the Japanese perception regarding nuclear safety. Needless to say, every effort was made to bring the 3 reactors to a state of cold-shutdown last December. Currently there are no nuclear reactors in operation in Japan, as almost all reactors are undergoing periodic inspection.
The government of Japan is determined to raise the safety standards of its nuclear power facilities to the highest level worldwide, and is reinforcing its nuclear safety regulations in a fundamental manner.
At the same time, Japan finds it of importance to share with the international community, including countries seeking to use nuclear power generation, the knowledge and lessons learned from the accident. Japan stands ready to respond to the interests of countries seeking to use nuclear power generation by supporting their efforts, including their expectations for improving nuclear safety. From this viewpoint, Japan remains steadfast in responding positively to their interest in our undertakings.
Japan fully supports the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety endorsed by the IAEA General Conference in September 2011, and believes that the highest levels of safety should be promoted worldwide based on the Action Plan. For its part, Japan commits itself to the implementation of the Plan, and encourages all countries concerned to make every effort to address the issues identified in the Plan. Japan will host the Fukushima Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety in December this year in co-sponsorship with the IAEA, and in the Conference, we wish to confirm the progress made in implementing the Action Plan, and to share the lessons that have learned with the objective of strengthening nuclear safety worldwide.
The Fukushima accident was caused by natural disasters, but it did remind us all of the importance of nuclear security. Japan welcomes the successful outcome of the Nuclear Security Summit held in Seoul in March this year, and appeals to all State Parties to maintain the highest possible standards of security and physical protection of nuclear materials and facilities, as expressed in the Final Document of the 2010 NPT Review Conference. As noted in that Final Document, while nuclear safety and security are national responsibilities, the IAEA should play the key role in the development of safety standards, nuclear security guidance and relevant conventions based on best practices.
Japan fully supports the IAEA’s nuclear security programme and new initiatives, including the establishment of the Nuclear Security Guidance Committee and Global Network for Nuclear Security Support Centres. Japan commends the IAEA for its efforts to strengthen international cooperation for enhancing nuclear security worldwide.
Mr. Chairman,
Under the NPT, all States Parties enjoy the inalienable right to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with its Articles I, II and III. I have already mentioned that the benefits of the use of nuclear technologies for health and other non-power applications have become well known, and that expectations for enhanced access to and usage of the technologies are now shared globally. We wish to point out that technical cooperation to promote access to, and usage of the nuclear technologies is an important responsibility of the NPT States Parties.
Japan has consistently paid its financial share to the IAEA Technical Cooperation Fund (TCF) in full and has achieved a 100% “Rate of Attainment” since the foundation of the TCF in 1959. Japan urges other IAEA Member States to do the same.
In this regard, Japan recognizes the merits of the Peaceful Uses Initiative (PUI), especially for developing countries. Japan made a contribution of 3.5 million US dollars to the PUI last December, and will make a contribution of the same amount in the current fiscal year.
I wish to point out also that Japan, together with 11 States Parties submitted a working paper on technical cooperation to the 2010 NPT Review Conference. We take pride that a number of elements contained in this working paper were incorporated into the Actions which the 2010 Review Conference called upon the States Parties to take.
Mr. Chairman,
We are also very pleased that the IAEA Director General’s initiatives for promoting peaceful use of nuclear energy have produced tangible outcomes in the fields of cancer treatment, agricultural production and water treatment. We understand that the IAEA will put a focus on nuclear techniques related to food this year, and certainly, Japan intends to cooperate fully in this field as well.
Mr. Chairman,
Japan will continue to work together with the international community to make every effort to promote and ensure the peaceful use of nuclear energy in a safe and sustainable manner.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
As Cluster III deals with the issue of peaceful uses of nuclear energy, before starting my statement, please let me reiterate my sincere gratitude to all countries, worldwide for the heartwarming encouragement and support kindly rendered to us in coping with the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, and the accident at the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.
Mr. Chairman,
It is expected that a number of countries around the world, particularly in Asia, will continue to reinforce or initiate nuclear power generation. The high growth of the demand for energy and the wish to mitigate the carbon emissions from power generation are the driving forces behind this phenomenon, and we note that the IAEA estimates that about 90 (low projection) to 350 (high projection) more nuclear power stations are likely to be completed by 2030. In addition, the benefits of the use of nuclear technologies for health and other non-power applications have become well known, and expectations for enhanced access and usage of these technologies is now shared globally. In such circumstances, we should acknowledge that international cooperation on non-proliferation, nuclear safety and security have become more important than ever.
Japan began to embark on its nuclear power program in 1957. We had put a priority on safety in developing our nuclear power industry which, until recently, had grown to more than 50 nuclear reactors. The accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, however, has dealt a serious blow to the Japanese perception regarding nuclear safety. Needless to say, every effort was made to bring the 3 reactors to a state of cold-shutdown last December. Currently there are no nuclear reactors in operation in Japan, as almost all reactors are undergoing periodic inspection.
The government of Japan is determined to raise the safety standards of its nuclear power facilities to the highest level worldwide, and is reinforcing its nuclear safety regulations in a fundamental manner.
At the same time, Japan finds it of importance to share with the international community, including countries seeking to use nuclear power generation, the knowledge and lessons learned from the accident. Japan stands ready to respond to the interests of countries seeking to use nuclear power generation by supporting their efforts, including their expectations for improving nuclear safety. From this viewpoint, Japan remains steadfast in responding positively to their interest in our undertakings.
Japan fully supports the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety endorsed by the IAEA General Conference in September 2011, and believes that the highest levels of safety should be promoted worldwide based on the Action Plan. For its part, Japan commits itself to the implementation of the Plan, and encourages all countries concerned to make every effort to address the issues identified in the Plan. Japan will host the Fukushima Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety in December this year in co-sponsorship with the IAEA, and in the Conference, we wish to confirm the progress made in implementing the Action Plan, and to share the lessons that have learned with the objective of strengthening nuclear safety worldwide.
The Fukushima accident was caused by natural disasters, but it did remind us all of the importance of nuclear security. Japan welcomes the successful outcome of the Nuclear Security Summit held in Seoul in March this year, and appeals to all State Parties to maintain the highest possible standards of security and physical protection of nuclear materials and facilities, as expressed in the Final Document of the 2010 NPT Review Conference. As noted in that Final Document, while nuclear safety and security are national responsibilities, the IAEA should play the key role in the development of safety standards, nuclear security guidance and relevant conventions based on best practices.
Japan fully supports the IAEA’s nuclear security programme and new initiatives, including the establishment of the Nuclear Security Guidance Committee and Global Network for Nuclear Security Support Centres. Japan commends the IAEA for its efforts to strengthen international cooperation for enhancing nuclear security worldwide.
Mr. Chairman,
Under the NPT, all States Parties enjoy the inalienable right to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with its Articles I, II and III. I have already mentioned that the benefits of the use of nuclear technologies for health and other non-power applications have become well known, and that expectations for enhanced access to and usage of the technologies are now shared globally. We wish to point out that technical cooperation to promote access to, and usage of the nuclear technologies is an important responsibility of the NPT States Parties.
Japan has consistently paid its financial share to the IAEA Technical Cooperation Fund (TCF) in full and has achieved a 100% “Rate of Attainment” since the foundation of the TCF in 1959. Japan urges other IAEA Member States to do the same.
In this regard, Japan recognizes the merits of the Peaceful Uses Initiative (PUI), especially for developing countries. Japan made a contribution of 3.5 million US dollars to the PUI last December, and will make a contribution of the same amount in the current fiscal year.
I wish to point out also that Japan, together with 11 States Parties submitted a working paper on technical cooperation to the 2010 NPT Review Conference. We take pride that a number of elements contained in this working paper were incorporated into the Actions which the 2010 Review Conference called upon the States Parties to take.
Mr. Chairman,
We are also very pleased that the IAEA Director General’s initiatives for promoting peaceful use of nuclear energy have produced tangible outcomes in the fields of cancer treatment, agricultural production and water treatment. We understand that the IAEA will put a focus on nuclear techniques related to food this year, and certainly, Japan intends to cooperate fully in this field as well.
Mr. Chairman,
Japan will continue to work together with the international community to make every effort to promote and ensure the peaceful use of nuclear energy in a safe and sustainable manner.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Practical Export Control Workshop was hosted by the Wassenaar Arrangement as part of its 20th Anniversary programs and held at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna on 27 and 28 June 2016. More than 100 government representatives from 46 countries participated in the technically focused Practical Workshop.
Workshop speakers included the 2016 WA Plenary Chair Ambassador Anu Laamanen (Finland), 2016 WA General Working Group Chair Ambassador Paul Beijer (Sweden), 2015-2016 WA Experts Group Chair Robertas Rosinas (Lithuania), 2016 WA Licensing and Enforcement Officers Meeting Chair Jon Erik Strömö (Norway), as well as the Head of the WA Secretariat, Ambassador Philip Griffiths. The WA control lists as well as export licensing and enforcement topics were covered during the two days.
The following link from WA’s webpage contains more details:
http://www.wassenaar.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/June-2016-Workshop-media-release.pdf
Workshop speakers included the 2016 WA Plenary Chair Ambassador Anu Laamanen (Finland), 2016 WA General Working Group Chair Ambassador Paul Beijer (Sweden), 2015-2016 WA Experts Group Chair Robertas Rosinas (Lithuania), 2016 WA Licensing and Enforcement Officers Meeting Chair Jon Erik Strömö (Norway), as well as the Head of the WA Secretariat, Ambassador Philip Griffiths. The WA control lists as well as export licensing and enforcement topics were covered during the two days.
The following link from WA’s webpage contains more details:
http://www.wassenaar.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/June-2016-Workshop-media-release.pdf