Nuke disarmament: Reinforced cooperation with Australia

November 22, 2015

Japan, Australia agree to strengthen cooperation in nuke disarmament

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20151122p2g00m0fp007000c.html

SYDNEY (Kyodo) -- Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop agreed Saturday to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, Japanese officials said.

In their meeting in Sydney, Kishida and Bishop also confirmed plans to coordinate moves over issues concerning the disputed South China Sea, where China's island-making and other activities have heightened tensions with other countries.

In a joint statement, the ministers of the two countries, which lead a group of nonnuclear states called the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative, renewed their determination to continue cooperation for a world free of nuclear weapons.

The NPDI is a framework launched in 2010 at the initiative of Japan and Australia -- both of which rely on the U.S. nuclear deterrent to protect them from potential enemy attacks.

Noting that this year marked the 70th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the ministers voiced their "deep concern" at the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons and encouraged world leaders to visit the two Japanese cities to hear the testimonies of atomic bomb survivors.

The ministers also expressed regret over a U.N. conference in New York earlier this year that was held to review the operation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty but ended without issuing a consensus document.

Kishida separately agreed with Australia's Cabinet Secretary Arthur Sinodinos to step up collaboration in counterterrorism in the wake of the deadly Paris attacks.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, who is also visiting Australia, met with his Australian counterpart Marise Payne to discuss technological cooperation regarding Australia's plan to acquire a new fleet of submarines for its navy.

November 22, 2015 (Mainichi Japan)