Japan Policy Statement (Security Council)

Mr. President/ Madam Chair, honored guest and international delegates;
It is an honor to be able to attend this meeting today at which important global issues will be discussed. Japan is eager to work with any countries to fight illicit arms trading, promote non-proliferation along with transparency in nuclear disarmament, define terrorism and find a proper way to fight it, and hopefully agree on private militaries and their functions in societies.
Japan believes that the establishment of a tracing system of small arms is an effective, preventive measure. Marking and ensuring record-keeping on each weapon would make it possible, through international cooperation, to trace and identify exactly how and where the illegal diversion of weapons takes place. Furthermore, it would facilitate the disruption of such illegal supply lines if the illicit trafficking routes could be identified. Japan hopes that the tracing system will be agreed as soon as possible following this recommendation. We will also have to keep in mind that stricter control measures should be ensured to control and prohibit weapons exports to the regions where the Security Council imposes embargoes. I wish to add that Japan, as a national policy, does not export any arms whatsoever. Japan is determined to intensify its efforts to eradicate the illicit trade in small arms, as a nation dedicated to peace and advocating the culture of peace.
Ten years ago, Japan partnered with 9 other countries to form the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative. Over the past twelve months we have worked to promote transparency in nuclear disarmament reporting and highlighted the need to resolve the prolonged stalemate in the Conference on Disarmament. Japan will actively promote disarmament and non-proliferation education to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons. Japan believes that any uranium mining used for chemical weapons should be regulated by the United Nations and other treaties agreed upon. Although we rely on nuclear energy for our electricity, we do not endorse nuclear weapons. On uranium mining, the incident at the nuclear power plant earlier this year, uranium mining has been slowed greatly.
Japan has stated time and again that the world must fight terrorism with all of its resources. In September, of this year, Japan cooperated with Turkey and the U.S on a counter-terrorism forum. Terrorism is now a threat for humanity as a whole, transcending national boundaries. Results will only be achieved through a concerted approach to terrorism by the international community, rather than through actions by only a subset of countries. Japan has extended assistance for capacity building in the area of counter-terrorism at a scale of approximately US$47 million and we intend to continue to actively contribute to efforts to address counter-terrorism challenges. As a responsible member of the international community, Japan intends to play an active role in efforts to eradicate terrorism. Together with other participating countries, we intend to be proactively engaged in the forum's activities and its development.
We would like to thank you for your time and hope this will be a beneficial session.