国連安保理決議1540号に関する安保理ブリーフィングにおける志野大使ステートメント

I thank Ambassador José Javier De La Gasca for his briefing.
 
Japan appreciates his and his team’s strong leadership and tireless dedication to the work of the 1540 Committee.
 
Our appreciation also goes to the Group of Experts.
 
20 years ago, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1540, which has been a vital component of the global non-proliferation architecture as the first international instrument to prevent non-state actors, including terrorists, from acquiring weapons of mass destruction in a comprehensive manner.
 
This risk of proliferation of WMDs has been magnified by rapid advances in science and technology, such as unmanned vehicle technologies and artificial intelligence, and by the increasing accessibility of dual-use technologies.
 
Japan welcomes the successful adoption of this year’s Programme of Work, which now serves as a roadmap to guide the Committee’s work ahead, and outlines important Committee activities, including the consideration of a multi-year program of outreach and voluntary technical guides.

Japan highly values the indispensable role of the Group of Experts. Both the Committee and its Group of Experts should play an even more proactive role to provide their expertise to support Member States in identifying key gaps and obstacles and preparing their national implementation action plans.
 
Taking this opportunity, we would like to express our congratulations to the five new experts for their recent appointment, and we sincerely hope that the Committee can reach a consensus to fill out the last vacancy without any further delay.
 
This important position cannot become another victim of obstructionism by a certain Council member.
 
Regional and subregional outreach activities also play a significant role to further promote the implementation of 1540 resolution by Member States.
 
Since 1993, Japan has hosted the Asian Export Control Seminar, most recently in February this year.
 
Japan appreciates the participation and substantial contribution of Mr. David Theard, a member of the Group of Experts, during the Seminar.
 
Japan also played a significant role, through its financial contributions, in appointing the first Regional Resolution 1540 Coordinator in the Asia-Pacific region.
 
With financial and substantive support from the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Government of Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, and Palau are currently planning to conduct their peer review this year.
 
It will be the first of its kind performed in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
 
Japan also welcomes the initiative by the 1540 Committee and the Government of China to cohost the “Training Course for Points of Contact in the Asia-Pacific Region” in June.
 
Before concluding my remarks, let me reiterate Japan’s firm commitment to enhancing the implementation of resolution 1540 to prevent the most dangerous weapons from falling into the hands of non-state actors.