Statement by Counsellor Mr. Masaki ISHIKAWA at the 41st Session of Working Group of the Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO

Thank you Mr Chairman,

On behalf of the government of Japan, I would like to congratulate Dr. Lassina Zerbo on his appointment as Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO and thank him for his informative opening statement. Let me take this opportunity to confirm Japan’s intention to further strengthen the relationship with the PTS under the leadership of the new Executive Secretary.

We would also like to thank the Friends of the Working Group B Chair, Messrs Svein Mykkeltveit and David McCormack for their efforts to coordinate this Working Group B meeting and all the Task Leaders for their dedicated work.

[Nuclear Test announced by North Korea]

We note with satisfaction that the International Monitoring System (IMS) of the CTBTO was able to detect unusual seismic waveforms with characteristics different from those of natural earthquakes at the event in North Korea in February this year and that the International Data Center (IDC) released the IDC products expeditiously. We commend the PTS for their prompt response to provide information, such as the convening of a technical briefing just six hours after the event occurred. This time 96 stations detected the unusual seismic waves and contributed to estimating the hypocenter and magnitude of the event. This provides further proof that the CTBT has a capable global verification regime. In addition, the Infrasound stations IS30 (Isumi, Japan) and IS45 (Ussuriysk, Russia) detected signals which could be attributed to the explosion in the event in North Korea for the first time, due to the initiation of IDC routine analysis of infrasound data in its daily products in 2010. These detections underpin the analysis of the event and confirm the necessity to maintain the infrasound network. We commend the PTS for their efforts to develop the detection capability under budget constraints.

In April, two kinds of radioactive noble gases that could be attributed to the nuclear test announced by North Korea in February were detected at Takasaki Station (JPX38). We appreciate the PTS for the detailed and informative technical briefing on this matter. We have found it extremely useful to be informed that the detected Xenon is considered to have been generated on a date close to that of North Korea’s nuclear test on 12 February due to the isotope ratio of the Xenon, and that the ATM backtracking calculation using high accuracy meteorological data, estimated a correlation of more than 90% between the observed data at JPX 38 and the calculated data which assumed the test site in North Korea as a source of the emission. We appreciate that the PTS sustained the verification regime’s readiness for an extended period well after the nuclear test by North Korea on 12 February. In this regard we believe that it is important to continue to make progress in research of noble gas background measurements.

[Promoting CTBT entry into force]

Mr. Chairman,

The nuclear test by North Korea once again confirmed the importance of our consistent efforts to build up and maintain the verification regime and also the important role of On-Site Inspections (OSI) in determining whether a nuclear test has been conducted or not. To this end, the early entry into force of the CTBT is indispensable. In this regard, we expect that the upcoming eighth CTBT Article XIV Conference will be convened successfully and further enhance the momentum towards the early entry into force of the Treaty.

[CTBT verification regime]

Mr. Chairman,

We appreciate the fact that approximately 87% of the IMS facilities have been installed and approximately 82% of facilities have been certified. Japan commends the PTS for its consistent efforts to build-up the verification regime towards the future entry into force of the Treaty. In particular, Japan commends the PTS for its efforts and achievements in increasing the number of IMS facilities by approximately four times during the last decade, while basically adhering to a zero real growth (ZRG) budget. We expect that further progress will be made by the PTS on the installation and certification of noble gas facilities as well as of IMS station which are located in geographically or politically difficult areas, while aiming at cost efficient budget implementation. As mentioned above, OSI is indispensable in determining whether or not a nuclear test has been conducted and therefore needs further build-up. The upcoming Integrated Field Exercise 2014 (IFE14) is very important in this respect. Japan welcomes the successful implementation of the Build-Up Exercise III, which took place from the end of May to the beginning of June this year in preparation for the IFE14. We believe that the results of the Build-Up Exercises will contribute to the successful implementation of the IFE14. We expect that the IFE 14 will provide us with valuable information for the future build-up of the OSI regime. Japan expects that progress will be made regarding the development of equipment and training for using the equipment at the OSI. Japan made a Contribution-in-Kind of OSI related equipment for the IFE14 as a means for its efficient implementation and budget saving. Japan takes note with satisfaction that the consolidated version of the draft OSI Operation Manual has been updated based on previous discussions and outcomes. We expect that the forthcoming IFE14 will confirm the consistency and effectiveness of the draft OSI Operational Manual. We also hope that progress will be made on the draft OSI Operational Manual during this session of WGB for the full and effective implementation of the OSI. The detection of radioactive noble gases at Takasaki Station in April reconfirmed the important role of the Atmospheric Transport Modelling (ATM) in estimating the source of emission. We understand that the system, which Japan contributed with a view to strengthening the ATM, will start operating by the end of this year. We expect that the system will further improve the function of the ATM and strengthen the overall verification capability by connecting the detection of radionuclides and seismic waves in the long run.

[Science and Technology Conference 2013]

Mr. Chairman,

Japan commends the PTS for successfully convening the “Science and Technology Conference 2013” (SnT2013) in June. The keynote speeches and discussions by experts at the opening session were very interesting and informative. Exchanges of views on the detection and analysis of the event in North Korea in February as well as on measures for reducing emission of radioactive Xenon in the process of the production of medical isotopes were very useful. Japan was also actively involved and contributed to the conference by introducing the Dense Oceanfloor Network System for Earthquakes and Tsunamis (DONET) which was developed by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) and could be a good example for a future CTBT hydroacoustic station. Cooperation with the scientific community is important for the further development of the verification technologies. At the same time, the current verification technologies have demonstrated their usefulness for civil and scientific applications, such as for natural disaster mitigation. We expect that the cooperation with the scientific community will be further strengthened in order to improve the verification technologies and also to promote its civil and scientific applications.

[Capacity Building]

Mr. Chairman,

We commend the PTS for the successful completion of the CTBT Diplomacy and Public Policy Course in July. Japan welcomes the efforts made by the PTS for capacity building through the Capacity Development Initiative and various training courses. We note that developing human resources, such as IMS operators or National Data Centre (NDC) analysts, especially in the developing countries, is a vital means for promoting the implementation of national obligations under the Treaty and for strengthening the maintenance and operation of the IMS facilities as well as our overall detection capability of nuclear tests. In this regard, I wish to mention that Japan will convene the annual JICA Global Seismological Observation Training Course from January to March 2014 which started in 1995.

In closing, I would like to mention that we look forward to engaging in constructive discussions to make tangible progress on the issues at hand during this WGB session.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.