Statement by First Secretary Ms. Yuko MIZUNO at the 63rd session of Working Group B
2024/8/27
Thank you, Acting Chair.
I would like to thank Mr. Erlan Batyrbekov, for his leadership in his absence, as well as Vice-Chairs, each Task Leaders, Chairs of the Expert Group Meetings and the Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) for their dedicated work. I would also like thank the Executive Secretary (ES), Dr. Floyd, for his encouraging opening statement.
Acting Chair,
We are currently facing various challenges in the international arena, and in this context, nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation has been, is, and will continue to be critical issues that we must work on collectively. This Working Group B (WGB) plays an important role in contributing to our joint efforts. It is, therefore, regrettable that the 62nd session of the WGB did not adopt its report, including one recommendation. During this session, we must prove to ourselves that we can still work together with a strong sense of unity.
[Effective implementation of the verification regime]
Acting Chair,
Japan highly values the CTBT’s normative functions against nuclear testing. Despite the Treaty not yet having entered into force, its verification regime has effectively deterred nuclear tests. In this context, we are of the view that the International Monitoring System (IMS) and the International Data Center (IDC) are particularly indispensable components of the verification regime. Once the Treaty enters into force, On-site inspection (OSI) should be the final and definitive tool to verify Member States’ compliance.
We commend the PTS for their tireless efforts to ensure the reliability and sustainability of the IMS and the IDC, and the preparation for the OSI.
In this regard, we congratulate the PTS on the success of the Build-Up Exercise (BUE) held in Hungary in June and July, and hope for further success of the Integrated Field Exercise 2025 (IFE25) in Sri Lanka.
The IDC has been functioning well, providing us with useful information, and we need to maintain those functions.
IMS sustainment is a critical issue that we must address. We appreciate the efforts of the PTS to explore solutions to address this issue, and encourage continued work based on objective, scientific and technical perspectives. We hope that through these efforts and our discussion, we will reach a common understanding of practical actions to move forward.
[CTBT Friends Meeting]
Executive Secretary, Dr. Floyd, has been making tireless efforts to ensure the early entry into force of the Treaty, and he has obtained some remarkable achievements. We fully support his work and urge all States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify the Treaty without further delay, in particular the remaining States listed in Annex 2, to further advance the CTBT.
In order to further facilitate concrete progress, even if incremental, Australia and Japan as co- chair, will organize a meeting of the CTBT Friends at the ministerial level on 24th September in New York, on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly. We encourage all States Signatories to participate and to consider supporting the joint statement, which is now open for association.
[Challenges against the Nuclear Disarmament & Non-Proliferation Regime]
Japan expresses serious concerns over North Korea’s development of nuclear and missile activities. We urge North Korea not to conduct any destabilizing or provocative actions, including a nuclear test. Japan also urges North Korea to comply with its obligations under the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, to return to full compliance with the NPT at an early date and to sign and ratify the CTBT.
[Closing Remarks]
We are confident that, in the coming days, we will reaffirm our solidarity towards achieving our common goals.
Thank you, Acting Chair.
I would like to thank Mr. Erlan Batyrbekov, for his leadership in his absence, as well as Vice-Chairs, each Task Leaders, Chairs of the Expert Group Meetings and the Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) for their dedicated work. I would also like thank the Executive Secretary (ES), Dr. Floyd, for his encouraging opening statement.
Acting Chair,
We are currently facing various challenges in the international arena, and in this context, nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation has been, is, and will continue to be critical issues that we must work on collectively. This Working Group B (WGB) plays an important role in contributing to our joint efforts. It is, therefore, regrettable that the 62nd session of the WGB did not adopt its report, including one recommendation. During this session, we must prove to ourselves that we can still work together with a strong sense of unity.
[Effective implementation of the verification regime]
Acting Chair,
Japan highly values the CTBT’s normative functions against nuclear testing. Despite the Treaty not yet having entered into force, its verification regime has effectively deterred nuclear tests. In this context, we are of the view that the International Monitoring System (IMS) and the International Data Center (IDC) are particularly indispensable components of the verification regime. Once the Treaty enters into force, On-site inspection (OSI) should be the final and definitive tool to verify Member States’ compliance.
We commend the PTS for their tireless efforts to ensure the reliability and sustainability of the IMS and the IDC, and the preparation for the OSI.
In this regard, we congratulate the PTS on the success of the Build-Up Exercise (BUE) held in Hungary in June and July, and hope for further success of the Integrated Field Exercise 2025 (IFE25) in Sri Lanka.
The IDC has been functioning well, providing us with useful information, and we need to maintain those functions.
IMS sustainment is a critical issue that we must address. We appreciate the efforts of the PTS to explore solutions to address this issue, and encourage continued work based on objective, scientific and technical perspectives. We hope that through these efforts and our discussion, we will reach a common understanding of practical actions to move forward.
[CTBT Friends Meeting]
Executive Secretary, Dr. Floyd, has been making tireless efforts to ensure the early entry into force of the Treaty, and he has obtained some remarkable achievements. We fully support his work and urge all States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify the Treaty without further delay, in particular the remaining States listed in Annex 2, to further advance the CTBT.
In order to further facilitate concrete progress, even if incremental, Australia and Japan as co- chair, will organize a meeting of the CTBT Friends at the ministerial level on 24th September in New York, on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly. We encourage all States Signatories to participate and to consider supporting the joint statement, which is now open for association.
[Challenges against the Nuclear Disarmament & Non-Proliferation Regime]
Japan expresses serious concerns over North Korea’s development of nuclear and missile activities. We urge North Korea not to conduct any destabilizing or provocative actions, including a nuclear test. Japan also urges North Korea to comply with its obligations under the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, to return to full compliance with the NPT at an early date and to sign and ratify the CTBT.
[Closing Remarks]
We are confident that, in the coming days, we will reaffirm our solidarity towards achieving our common goals.
Thank you, Acting Chair.