NEW YORK: Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio presented his Hiroshima Action Plan for a world without nuclear weapons, in an address to a review conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, or NPT, in New York on Monday.

Kishida became the first prime minister of Japan, the only country in the world that has suffered atomic bombings, ever to attend an NPT review conference.

In the speech at the UN headquarters, Kishida urged countries to recognize the importance of committing to not using nuclear weapons and called on nuclear powers to enhance transparency on their nuclear capabilities.

Referring to Russia’s threat to use nuclear weapons in its invasion of Ukraine, Kishida said he “cannot but admit that the path to a world without nuclear weapons has become even harder.”

“Nevertheless, giving up is not an option,” Kishida stressed. “As a Prime Minister from Hiroshima, I believe that we must take every realistic measure towards a world without nuclear weapons step by step, however difficult the path may be.”

Realizing a world without nuclear weapons is the lifework of Kishida, whose constituency is located in Hiroshima, one of the two Japanese cities devastated by the US atomic bombings in 1945.

Kishida’s Hiroshima Action Plan calls on all nuclear states to “disclose information on the status of production of fissile materials,” such as highly enriched uranium, which are used to make nuclear weapons, at a time when China is opposed to curbing the production of nuclear materials.

In a bid to help the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, or CTBT, take effect, meanwhile, Kishida announced Japan’s plan to host a summit-level meeting during the UN General Assembly in September.

He also pledged to help facilitate US dialogues with Russia and China to reduce their nuclear arsenals.

On nuclear non-proliferation, Kishida said Japan will “address North Korea’s nuclear and missile issues in coordination with the international community” and “contribute proactively” to making progress on Iranian nuclear talks.

Touching the peaceful use of nuclear energy, Kishida said Russia’s attacks on nuclear facilities in Ukraine “must not be tolerated.”

The Japanese leader unveiled a plan to contribute 10 million dollars to the United Nations in order to set up a fund to invite future leaders to Japan and provide them with opportunities to learn firsthand the realities of atomic bombing.

In addition, Kishida said his country will invite political leaders around the world to a meeting to discuss nuclear disarmament in Hiroshima on Nov. 23.

JIJI Press