Japanese lawmaker says nuclear weapons and humanity cannot coexist

New York(The Uttam Hindu): Emphasising that there are people still suffering from the influence of radiation even nearly 80 years after the US atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japanese lawmaker Shinji Morimoto on Wednesday asserted that nuclear weapons and humanity cannot coexist. Morimoto, who belongs to the main opposition - the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan - and five other Upper House lawmakers from the country are in New York to attend the meeting of the states party to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

Japan had earlier announced that it will not participate in the meeting of signatories of the UN nuclear ban treaty. Last month, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya stated that nuclear deterrence under the Japan-US alliance is essential to defend the nation. He had also emphasised that keeping China, North Korea and Russia in mind, Japan faces "the most complicated and severe security environment" since the end of Second World War and attending the gathering could "send a wrong message and pose a problem" for the nation's security. The third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is being held at the United Nations Headquarters and will run until Friday.

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was adopted on July 7, 2017 at the United Nations and entered into force on January 22, 2021. It was the first multilateral nuclear disarmament treaty to be negotiated in more than two decades. The ongoing meeting is having a thematic debate on the risks for humanity of nuclear conflict and its devastating humanitarian consequences. Member states will also consider the status and operation of the Treaty, addressing issues related to universality; the total elimination of nuclear weapons; victim assistance, environmental remediation and international cooperation and assistance; and security concerns. Till date, as many as 73 States have ratified or acceded to the Treaty and 94 have signed it. The US has consistently opposed the treaty and stated that the treaty is unlikely to produce any results.

While India also continues to attach high priority to and remains committed to universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable nuclear disarmament, it did not participate in the negotiations on the TPNW and has consistently made it clear that it will not become a party to the Treaty. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India believes that this Treaty does not constitute or contribute to the development of customary international law; nor does it set any new standards or norms.