U.N. Committee OKs Japan-Led Resolution on Nuke Abolition

New York, Nov. 1 (Jiji Press)--The U.N. General Assembly's First Committee adopted on Friday a new draft resolution submitted by Japan that calls for the elimination of nuclear weapons. The resolution, which received 148 votes in favor, four against and 26 abstentions, is aimed at building a consensus ahead of next year's Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty review conference. This year's draft is drastically different from conventional ones the Asian country submitted to the committee. The number of supporters of the latest one, the 26th of its kind, fell by 12 from the previous year, while abstentions increased by two. The latest version focuses on nuclear disarmament, putting less emphasis on nuclear nonproliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear power. Past resolutions expressed grave concerns about the catastrophic humanitarian consequences that would result from the use of nuclear weapons. This year's draft only recognizes such possible consequences. The draft also lacks any protest against North Korea's nuclear and missile activities or reference to the U.N. treaty to ban nuclear weapons. The resolution is expected to be adopted at a General Assembly plenary meeting in early December. Of the nuclear weapon states, Britain newly became a cosponsor and France voted for the draft. The United States abstained as it did last year. As in 2018, China, North Korea, Russia and Syria cast dissenting votes. Major countries promoting the nuclear weapons ban treaty stopped short of voting for three years in a row while recognizing Japan's efforts. Those countries say some expressions in the draft are weaker than those in NPT documents, according to one diplomatic source at one such country. The wording calling for a steady implementation of NPT obligations in the draft adds a new condition, the source also said. Japan's approach to building common ground on which countries can work on together has won understanding to some extent, Nobushige Takamizawa, head of Japan's delegation to the Conference on Disarmament, told a news conference. But he admitted that the gap was not fully filled. This year's draft has a different title, "Joint courses of action and future-oriented dialogue toward a world without nuclear weapons." It makes a six-point proposal as joint actions to be taken toward the NPT review conference, such as enhanced transparency, nuclear risk reduction and education, including through exchanges with hibakusha, who survived the 1945 U.S. atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Meanwhile, Japan voted against a draft resolution submitted by Austria urging U.N. member countries to join the nuclear weapons ban treaty. The draft was adopted as 119 countries voted in favor, 41 against and 15 abstained.