(Check Against Delivery)
Statement by H.E. Mr. Motohide Yoshikawa
Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
At the Open Debate of the Security Council on Non-Proliferation
“Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of Resolution 1540 (2004)
and Looking Ahead”
7 May 2014
Mr. President,
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you for convening today’s meeting. It is a great honor for us to welcome Your Excellency, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-Se to the United Nations as the President of the Security Council. I also thank Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson for his briefing.
First of all, allow me to express my deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the recent tragic ferry accident in the Republic of Korea.
Mr. President,
Japan joins others in celebrating the 10th anniversary of the adoption of Security Council resolution 1540 and commends efforts by the Committee to strengthen its activities.
We highly appreciate the concept note that the presidency has kindly circulated to us before the meeting to streamline the discussion. Today, I would like to make comments related to the section “Looking Ahead: Challenges and Ways Forward” in this concept paper.
Mr. President,
In order to effectively raise awareness of the importance of non-proliferation efforts, in particular among high-level policy-makers, we should keep in mind that some States mistakenly believe that export controls will impede trade and investment. They also believe that non-proliferation efforts may pose obstacles to economic growth. In this context, today, I would like to share with you what Japan has been doing in the Asian region, where awareness of the importance of export control is rising.
At the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit Meeting in Tokyo held in December 2013, the leaders agreed “to intensify efforts to implement relevant measures for non-proliferation, including cooperation for strengthening export control capabilities of ASEAN Member States”.
When Japanese Foreign Minister Kishida delivered a speech on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation in January, he emphasized the “strategic effects of export control”, along with our efforts to tackle other major non-proliferation issues such as North Korean and Iranian nuclear issue. What he meant was that strengthening export controls would help foster confidence in the reliability of trade or investment among States and companies involved. Export control will thus create a favorable environment for economic growth rather than impeding trade and investment.
With this in mind, Japan has been carrying out technical assistance programs for capacity building and we will continue to expand these activities.
Mr. President,
Let me continue with our activities in support of resolution 1540. Japan has been hosting the Asian Export Control Seminar in Tokyo for more than 20 years. This year we were glad to have participation from the panel of experts of the 1540 Committee.
We have also been organizing seminars called “Turtle Bay Security Roundtable” here in New York on non-proliferation and disarmament, in partnership with the Missions of Poland and Turkey. We held the sixth round of the Roundtable in March with participants from many member States and again from the panel of experts of the 1540 Committee.
Mr. President,
Resolution 1540 has played a significant role in promoting the importance of non-proliferation efforts. But we have to make further and continued efforts and it is indeed a long-term task.
I would like to conclude my statement by reconfirming Japan’s continued commitment to be deeply involved in the long-term process and reiterating our strongest support for work towards full and universal implementation of resolution 1540.
I thank you, Mr. President.
