Japan PM Fumio Kishida urges countries with nuclear weapons to raise transparency: Report

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday urged all nuclear weapons states to boost transparency in ir capabilities. He also promised to do everything possible to ensure option of a final document at a United Nations summit on nuclear nonproliferation. Speaking at a virtual nuclear disarmament meeting, Kishida stated that Japan will take initiative in bringing countries with opposing views on nuclear weapons toger to promote coordination in efforts towards a world free of such weapons, reported KYODO News.

Notably, Japanese Prime Minister was born into a family from Hiroshima, a western Japanese prefecture whose capital was destroyed by an atomic bombing by United States in 1945. 

Kishida stated that it is very unfortunate that not much efforts have been me by nations in reducing number of nuclear weapons, let alone abolishing m. "Inste, re is concern that number of nuclear weapons might increase in future. forthcoming review conference is an opportunity to strengn Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons' (NPT) foundation and reestablish confidence between nuclear and non-nuclear weapons states," he said as reported by Japanese news agency. He furr ded that meeting's outcome should result in an exit, or a world free of nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, Minoru Tera, Kishida's special viser on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, is expected to visit relevant nations in January to build framework for United Nations conference on NPT. Every five years, United Nations conducts a review conference to assess organization's performance. It was originally scheduled for 2020, but was postponed owing to COVID-19 pandemic. Kishida attended previous one in 2015 as Japan's foreign minister, which ended without a final document due to disagreements. 

Japan concerned over North Korea's nuclear & missile development 

It is significant to mention here that North Korea's nuclear and missile development has been a matter of security concern for Japan, which also remains on high alert amid growing influence of China. In his remarks at meeting, Kishida also United States' decision to restart disclosure of nuclear weapons stockpiles in order to improve transparency. virtual meeting was also attended by Gustavo Zlauvinen, Gustavo Zlauvinen, KYODO News reported.

(Image: AP)