Statement by Minister SHIMIZU Chitaru at the IAEA Board of Governors Meeting starting on Monday, 8 June 2026 Item 5(c): The Safeguards Implementation Report for 2025
2026/6/9
Thank you, Chair,
Japan thanks the Director General for the SIR for 2025. We commend the Secretariat, including its inspectors, for implementing safeguards in a professional manner.
We take note with satisfaction of the broader conclusion drawn for Japan this year, as it has always been the case since 2004. Japan, as “model state” of safeguards implementation, will continue to fully cooperate with the Agency. The safeguards mechanisms highlighted in this report, such as the On-Site Laboratory (OSL) at the reprocessing plant in Rokkasho jointly operated by Japan and the Agency as well as the unattended measurement and monitoring systems with remote data transmission developed for the J-MOX Fuel Fabrication Plant based on safeguards by design concept, are the most notable examples of these efforts.
Chair,
Japan has been cooperating with the international community towards strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime. Japan strongly supports the Agency’s efforts towards the universalization of the CSA (comprehensive safeguards agreement) and AP (additional protocol), as well as the amendment or rescission of SQPs (small quantities protocols). In our region, Japan has been contributing for a long time in safeguards capacity building through bilateral and multilateral fora such as Asia Pacific Safeguards Network, in cooperation with the Agency.
In this context, Japan welcomes the recent conclusion of the CSA and AP by Somalia and Guinea. We now count 140 States that have both a CSA and AP in force.
Having listened to the deliberation in this morning session, I would like to emphasize that, with the overwhelming majority of States having both instruments in force, the CSA together with an AP represents the current verification standard. Without an AP, the Agency is not able to provide credible assurance of the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities for a State as a whole, as described in the SIR. We should never forget the lessons we learned in the early 1990s.
Japan, as the organizer of AP Friends Group, will continue to make every effort to promote the AP universalization. We call on all remaining States to take the necessary steps as soon as possible.
Chair,
Japan appreciates the Agency’s efforts to enhance the safeguards system and takes positive note of AI’s potential contribution in improving the safeguards effectiveness and efficiency.
Japan also takes note of the areas of difficulty.
We appreciate the Secretariat’s efforts in conducting sufficient in-field verification activities in Ukraine despite the challenges posed by the Russian aggression.
Regarding Iran, we commend the Secretariat’s efforts and professionalism and take serious note of the safeguards conclusion and the proliferation concern as set out in the report.
As for the other problems of the implementation of safeguards agreements, including delay or omission of reporting, we call all relevant States to take necessary steps as soon as possible.
With these comments, Japan takes note of the SIR for 2025 and supports the authorization of its partial release as proposed.
Thank you, Chair.
Japan thanks the Director General for the SIR for 2025. We commend the Secretariat, including its inspectors, for implementing safeguards in a professional manner.
We take note with satisfaction of the broader conclusion drawn for Japan this year, as it has always been the case since 2004. Japan, as “model state” of safeguards implementation, will continue to fully cooperate with the Agency. The safeguards mechanisms highlighted in this report, such as the On-Site Laboratory (OSL) at the reprocessing plant in Rokkasho jointly operated by Japan and the Agency as well as the unattended measurement and monitoring systems with remote data transmission developed for the J-MOX Fuel Fabrication Plant based on safeguards by design concept, are the most notable examples of these efforts.
Chair,
Japan has been cooperating with the international community towards strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime. Japan strongly supports the Agency’s efforts towards the universalization of the CSA (comprehensive safeguards agreement) and AP (additional protocol), as well as the amendment or rescission of SQPs (small quantities protocols). In our region, Japan has been contributing for a long time in safeguards capacity building through bilateral and multilateral fora such as Asia Pacific Safeguards Network, in cooperation with the Agency.
In this context, Japan welcomes the recent conclusion of the CSA and AP by Somalia and Guinea. We now count 140 States that have both a CSA and AP in force.
Having listened to the deliberation in this morning session, I would like to emphasize that, with the overwhelming majority of States having both instruments in force, the CSA together with an AP represents the current verification standard. Without an AP, the Agency is not able to provide credible assurance of the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities for a State as a whole, as described in the SIR. We should never forget the lessons we learned in the early 1990s.
Japan, as the organizer of AP Friends Group, will continue to make every effort to promote the AP universalization. We call on all remaining States to take the necessary steps as soon as possible.
Chair,
Japan appreciates the Agency’s efforts to enhance the safeguards system and takes positive note of AI’s potential contribution in improving the safeguards effectiveness and efficiency.
Japan also takes note of the areas of difficulty.
We appreciate the Secretariat’s efforts in conducting sufficient in-field verification activities in Ukraine despite the challenges posed by the Russian aggression.
Regarding Iran, we commend the Secretariat’s efforts and professionalism and take serious note of the safeguards conclusion and the proliferation concern as set out in the report.
As for the other problems of the implementation of safeguards agreements, including delay or omission of reporting, we call all relevant States to take necessary steps as soon as possible.
With these comments, Japan takes note of the SIR for 2025 and supports the authorization of its partial release as proposed.
Thank you, Chair.