Kazakhstan-Japan Nuclear Nexus:
Ideas, Interests and Identities
カザフスタンと日本の核のつながり：
着想，利益，アイデンティティ
Almas Dissyukov, PhD Student
University of Tsukubas1836002@u.tsukuba.ac.jp
18 April 20201

Table of Contents• Map of Kazakhstan• Theories• Methodology• Inspiration• Background• Unique Сases• Bibliography• Conclusion2

Map of Kazakhstan

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Semipalatinsk (Semey) Test Site, 1949-89
No. of Tests: 456
No. of Victims: approx. 1 500 000 people
Area: 18 500 km2 (by 8 times larger than Tokyo)

Ground Zero (Semey)

Scheme of Nuclear Tests4

Theoretical Framework• Focus on Social Studies (Area Studies) rather
on Security Studies• Balance between Constructivism or Poststructuralism• Constructivism with Wendt’s Ideas, Interests,
Identities, and Self-Others approach• Post-structuralism
withDerida’s
Deconstruction and Double Reading
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Theoretical Framework (cont’d)• Anarchy Is What States Make of It (Wendt)• 500 British nuclear weapons are lessthreatening to the United States than 5 North
Korean nuclear weapons (Wendt)• Let’s imagine the sci-fi scenario, whereKazakhstan is `North Korea` and Japan is ‘U.S.’
in early 90s (similar approach could be appliedto Belarus and the Ukraine)
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Methodology• Desk Research• Discourse Analysis• Visual Data Review (videos and photos)• Field Trips to Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Semey• Interviews in Tokyo, Nagasaki, Hiroshima andSemey, e.g. with Hibakusha and NGO/NPOs• Observation of multilateral and bilateral
events in Kazakhstan and Japan
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Inspiration• 28th years of Kazakhstan-Japan Cooperation• High Profile of Bilateral Political Discourse• Japan’s Financial Aid to Kazakhstan• Effective Interaction among Medical Centres• Intensive Cooperation among NGO/NPOs• Wide Network of International Contacts (e.g.,IAEA, CTBTO, PNND, FNCA, NSS, NSG)
• Lack of Academic Publications in Social Sciences8Background: Kazakhstan• 1990, Shutdown of the Semey Test Site
• 1991, Kazakh Independence from the USSR
• 1991-95, de-facto a Nuclear State• 4th Largest Nuclear Arsenal (1,216 warheads)• Security Guarantees as Main Precondition for
Disarmament and Non-Proleferation• Failed Project ‘First Muslim Nuclear Bomb’(Gaddafi)• Domestic Debate on WMD, Not a Split• Financial Hardships
9Background: Kazakhstan-Japan• 1992, FM Michio Watanabe’s visit to Kazakhstan• Introduction of Japan’s Three Non-Nuclear Principles• 1992, Tokyo Donor Conference on NIS, Help for Self-help
approach• 1992, G7 Munich Summit, Focus on Non-Proliferation
Issues in CIS• 1993, G7 Tokyo Summit, Financial Assistance to CIS (USD100 mln.)• 1997, PM Hashimoto’s Launch of the Eurasian Diplomacy• 1998, G8 Cologne Summit, New Aid to CIS (USD 200 mln.)• 1999, Tokyo Donor Conference on Semey• Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Semey as Messengers of Peace10

Joint Anti-Nuclear Event in Tokyothrough Art Collaboration, 201311

Case No. 1. Disarmament• International Support at G7/8 and NSS
Summits• Establishment of Technical Secretariat in 1994
• Financial Assistance to the Security andMedicine• Technical Cooperation Agreement in 2004
• Small Social Grants (ODA)• NGO/NPOs (NASHIM, CANVaS)
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Case No. 2. Non-Proliferation• UNRCPD Role in CANFFZ Facilitation, Hokkaido
Meetings in 1998 and 2000
• New Ideas for Central Asian approach, i.e.
Bridge-Builder or Catalyst under the ‘CA plus
Japan’ Dialogue (FM Kawaguchi, 2004)• Improvement of Physical Protection inKazakhstan• Japan’s Assistance to the ISCT Activities inKazakhstan (employment of former nuclearspecialists)• Kazakhstan’s Accession to the FNCA in 2010
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CANWFZ Conference in Kyoto, hostedby KUFS and Prof. Tsutomu Ishiguri

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Case No. 3. Atomic Energy• PM Koizumi’s Silk Road Energy Mission in 2002
• Japan’s PM First Visit to Central Asia in 2006
• METI Head Amari’s Business Mission toKazakhstan and Uzbekistan in 2007, 40 MoUs
• Supply of Uranium Fuel to Japan• Kazakhstan-Japan Nuclear Pact in 2010
• Japan’s Assistance to Physical Protection ofNuclear Facilities, USD 16 mln. (7 per cent)• Negotiations on Nuclear Power Plant issue(DPJ/LDP administrations)15

1. Left. President of Kazakhstan Tokayev (then-DG of the UN office inGeneva) at the IAEA Fukushima Conference in Japan
2. Right. IAEA DG Yukiya Amano at the Ground Zero in Semey
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Case No. 4. Global Agenda• IAEA: Low Enrichment Uranium Bank, NPP issue• Nuclear Security Summit: Transport Gift Basket• Chairs of the CTBTO Article XIV Conference: two AbeNazarbayev Statements (focus on DPRK)• UN Security Council’s Membership• UN Conferences on Disarmament in Japan (Niigata,Kyoto, Shizuoka, Hiroshima)• PNND, Pugwash Movement, IPPNW• FNCA, NSG• Mayors for Peace, ATOM Project, World Congressagainst A & H Bombs
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CTBTO GEM Meeting in Hiroshima

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Missed Opportunities• Lack of Joint International Initiatives• Kazakh/Japan Priority Focus on Own Initiatives(ATOM, ASTOP, NPDI)• Irregular Nature of Bilateral Exchanges• Kazakh Strong Focus on Hiroshima, less onNagasaki• Mayors for Peace: Stalemate in Kazakhstan andCentral Asia
• Forum on Nuclear Cooperation in Asia: Narrow
Scientific Approach
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Japan-Kazakhstan Exhibition at theUN Conference on Disarmament

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Conclusion• High Level of Scientific and TechnicalCooperation: Semey and Fukushima• High Potential in Disarmament Education (Art)• Communication Channels with U.S., China,Russia, and DPRK, including SCO and CSTO
• Possibilities for Joint Actions in CTBTO Annex II• Japan contribution to CANFWZ: Model forMENWFZ
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Thank you!

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