IAEA9月理事会（議題10 その他）ステートメント（海部篤大使）（英語）
令和8年9月11日
Thank you, Chair.
Chair, and dear colleagues, under this agenda item AOB, please allow me to raise several points, due to the frequent inaccuracies in one specific previous remark, my comments will be somewhat longer than originally intended. I would be grateful for your understanding.
On the upcoming General Conference, Japan highly commends the efforts led by H.E. Mr. Burian, Ambassador of Slovakia, to improve the conduct of the GC, as well as the close coordination already under way with H.E. Mr. Zlauvinen, Ambassador of Argentina, President-Designate of the GC, and H.E. Ms. Bernas, Ambassador of the Philippines, Chair-Designate of the Committee of the Whole. Japan fully supports these efforts and will work closely with them and other Member States to help ensure a smooth, efficient and successful conference.
On Australia’s naval nuclear propulsion program: Japan welcomes the updates given by AUKUS partners. We reiterate our appreciation for their firm commitment to setting the highest non-proliferation standard as it is crucially important to maintain and strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime. We steadily support the Secretariat’s dedicated efforts to this end.
On Japan's security policy: our defense capability is necessary to ensure the security of Japan in the face of the most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II. Under its Constitution, Japan has been adhering to the exclusively defense-oriented policy, and not becoming a military power that poses a threat to other countries, including neighboring ones.
On nuclear materials: all nuclear material in Japan, including plutonium, is used exclusively for peaceful purposes, and is under exceptionally stringent IAEA safeguards, including the AP. This is evidenced by ongoing robust verification mechanisms, including the presence of the Agency’s only on-site laboratory in the world at Rokkasho, the number of areas subject to inspection, and the frequency of those inspections, including complementary accesses.
As a result of all those verification activities, the IAEA, including in its latest Safeguard Implementation Report (SIR 2025), has drawn the broader conclusion that all nuclear material in Japan remains in peaceful activities. Therefore, there is no issue related to nuclear proliferation regarding Japan.
I am wondering where this call for “further strengthening oversight of these activities in Japan” stems from. With its technical professionalism and competency, the Secretariat has drawn broader conclusion for Japan for years. Transparency and accountability at the highest level, which is far beyond the level required by international standard, which is the INFCIRC 549, has been continuously fulfilled.
Again, just for the sake of clarity, Japan’s plutonium stocks are used for peaceful purposes such as mixed oxide fuel for research or power generation. Japan continues to uphold the principle of “not possessing plutonium without specific purposes”. Also, Japan has declared the policy to reduce the amount of its plutonium stockpile in 2018, and the amount has decreased since then.
As I said, Japan voluntarily publishes information on its plutonium management that is more detailed than required in the international guidelines for civil plutonium management, as contained in INFCIRC/549.
These guidelines were adopted in 1997 by nine States Parties, including the five Nuclear-Weapon States. The participants have been publishing their annual reports on unirradiated civilian plutonium stocks on the IAEA website.
In this regard, I would like to remind all of you, again, of the fact that one specific Nuclear-Weapon State ceased submitting reports under these guidelines in 2017. Among the nine participants in this mechanism, it is the only one State having ceased 549-reporting, as is clear from the IAEA website. This causes a serious lack of transparency in its plutonium management.
And finally, as repeatedly stated in my statements at the previous session of the Board of Governors meetings, Japan observes its three non-nuclear principles as policy guidelines. Japan has been and continues to be in full compliance with its obligations under the NPT.
Japan has been consistently pursuing a path as a peace-loving nation since the end of World War II, contributing to global peace and prosperity.
This stance remains unchanged.
Thank you, Chair.
Chair, and dear colleagues, under this agenda item AOB, please allow me to raise several points, due to the frequent inaccuracies in one specific previous remark, my comments will be somewhat longer than originally intended. I would be grateful for your understanding.
On the upcoming General Conference, Japan highly commends the efforts led by H.E. Mr. Burian, Ambassador of Slovakia, to improve the conduct of the GC, as well as the close coordination already under way with H.E. Mr. Zlauvinen, Ambassador of Argentina, President-Designate of the GC, and H.E. Ms. Bernas, Ambassador of the Philippines, Chair-Designate of the Committee of the Whole. Japan fully supports these efforts and will work closely with them and other Member States to help ensure a smooth, efficient and successful conference.
On Australia’s naval nuclear propulsion program: Japan welcomes the updates given by AUKUS partners. We reiterate our appreciation for their firm commitment to setting the highest non-proliferation standard as it is crucially important to maintain and strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime. We steadily support the Secretariat’s dedicated efforts to this end.
On Japan's security policy: our defense capability is necessary to ensure the security of Japan in the face of the most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II. Under its Constitution, Japan has been adhering to the exclusively defense-oriented policy, and not becoming a military power that poses a threat to other countries, including neighboring ones.
On nuclear materials: all nuclear material in Japan, including plutonium, is used exclusively for peaceful purposes, and is under exceptionally stringent IAEA safeguards, including the AP. This is evidenced by ongoing robust verification mechanisms, including the presence of the Agency’s only on-site laboratory in the world at Rokkasho, the number of areas subject to inspection, and the frequency of those inspections, including complementary accesses.
As a result of all those verification activities, the IAEA, including in its latest Safeguard Implementation Report (SIR 2025), has drawn the broader conclusion that all nuclear material in Japan remains in peaceful activities. Therefore, there is no issue related to nuclear proliferation regarding Japan.
I am wondering where this call for “further strengthening oversight of these activities in Japan” stems from. With its technical professionalism and competency, the Secretariat has drawn broader conclusion for Japan for years. Transparency and accountability at the highest level, which is far beyond the level required by international standard, which is the INFCIRC 549, has been continuously fulfilled.
Again, just for the sake of clarity, Japan’s plutonium stocks are used for peaceful purposes such as mixed oxide fuel for research or power generation. Japan continues to uphold the principle of “not possessing plutonium without specific purposes”. Also, Japan has declared the policy to reduce the amount of its plutonium stockpile in 2018, and the amount has decreased since then.
As I said, Japan voluntarily publishes information on its plutonium management that is more detailed than required in the international guidelines for civil plutonium management, as contained in INFCIRC/549.
These guidelines were adopted in 1997 by nine States Parties, including the five Nuclear-Weapon States. The participants have been publishing their annual reports on unirradiated civilian plutonium stocks on the IAEA website.
In this regard, I would like to remind all of you, again, of the fact that one specific Nuclear-Weapon State ceased submitting reports under these guidelines in 2017. Among the nine participants in this mechanism, it is the only one State having ceased 549-reporting, as is clear from the IAEA website. This causes a serious lack of transparency in its plutonium management.
And finally, as repeatedly stated in my statements at the previous session of the Board of Governors meetings, Japan observes its three non-nuclear principles as policy guidelines. Japan has been and continues to be in full compliance with its obligations under the NPT.
Japan has been consistently pursuing a path as a peace-loving nation since the end of World War II, contributing to global peace and prosperity.
This stance remains unchanged.
Thank you, Chair.