Japan

In 2017, the Japanese government stated that the “ban treaty concept has been unable to obtain understanding and involvement of nuclear-weapon states”, and that it would therefore “be difficult for Japan to participate” (bit.ly/2kKsSAW). In October 2018, the Foreign Minister of Japan, Taro Kono, asserted: “As for the promotion of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, Japan has still not decided anything. However, Japan is not thinking of signing the TPNW, so our response will be based on that (bit.ly/35hYv74)”. Hiroshima, Nagasaki and many more Japanese cities have signed ICAN’s Cities Appeal.

• Japan should ensure that nuclear weapons do not have a role in its national defence plans and security policies. It should renounce the retention and potential use of nuclear weapons on its behalf, for instance through a declaratory statement, and refrain from endorsing future alliance statements in support of weapons of mass destruction.
• Japan should urgently sign and ratify the TPNW, and encourage other states to adhere to the Treaty. Until it is in a position to do so, it should – in line with its obligations under the NPT – welcome the TPNW as a valuable contribution towards the common aspiration of a world without nuclear weapons, attend its meetings of states parties as an observer, and work with its states parties on practical steps towards disarmament.