POLICY & DIPLOMACYLEADING THE WORLD TOWARDSA FUTURE WITHOUTNUCLEAR WEAPONSAUGUST 1, 2022
Full Text: https://japan.kantei.go.jp/101_kishida/statement/202208/_00001.html

On August 1, 2022, Prime Minister Kishida attended the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty
on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in New York, as the first Japanese premier to attend an
NPT Review Conference. In a speech delivered at the general debate, he expressed Japan’s strong
determination to work together with other state parties to firmly uphold the NPT as one of its guardians.

Prime Minister Kishida delivering his speechat the Tenth Review Conference of the Parties
to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation ofNuclear Weapons (NPT). He outlined thefive pillars of the “Hiroshima Action Plan,”the first step towards realizing a world
without nuclear weapons.

1. Introduction
Your Excellency Mr. President, Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Today, I have come to this Review Conference driven
by a strong sense of urgency.
As Foreign Minister, I attended the 2015 Review
Conference which ended without reaching consensus.
Since then, the division within the international
community has become only greater. In particular, thethreat to use nuclear weapons by Russia in its aggression
against Ukraine, has contributed to worldwide concernthat yet another catastrophe by nuclear weapon use is areal possibility.
I cannot but admit that the path to a world without
nuclear weapons has become even harder.
2. Thoughts towards the NPT Review Conference
Nevertheless, giving up is not an option.

As a Prime Minister from Hiroshima, I believe that wemust take every realistic measure towards a world without
nuclear weapons step by step, however difficult the pathmay be.
The very starting point of this endeavor is the NPT. The
NPT has served as the cornerstone of the international
nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime inrealizing international peace and security.
Maintaining and strengthening the NPT regime is in
the interest of the entire international community. Let
us join forces to achieve a meaningful outcome at thisConference. Together with all of delegates concerned here
today, Japan is determined to firmly uphold the NPT as
its guardian.
3. Road map that will take us from the “reality” to the “ideal”
Mr. President,
As the first step of a realistic road map, which would
take us from the “reality” we face in the harsh security
environment to the ideal of a world without nuclear
weapons, we will work on the “Hiroshima Action Plan”
which is rooted in the following five actions, while
simultaneously making efforts to reduce nuclear risks.
As the first action, I call for a shared recognition on
the importance of continuing the record of non-use ofnuclear weapons. We should never tolerate the threat of
the use of nuclear weapons, such as that made recently
by Russia, let alone the use of nuclear weapons. We mustensure that Nagasaki remains the last place to suffer anatomic bombing.
The second action is to enhance transparency.
Transparency is the foundation of all nuclear disarmament
measures. I call on nuclear-weapon States to enhance thetransparency of their nuclear forces. In particular, I callon all nuclear-weapon States to disclose informationon the status of production of fissile materials. Thisis an important step to gather momentum for thecommencement of negotiations on an FMCT.
The third action is to maintain the decreasing trendof the global nuclear stockpile. While the number has
significantly decreased since the peak of the Cold War,
there are still more than ten thousand nuclear weapons inthe world. Maintaining this decreasing trend is extremely
important in getting closer to a world without nuclearweapons.
To achieve this, I call on all nuclear-weapon States

to engage in a responsible manner. In this vein, Japansupports the dialogue conducted between the UnitedStates and Russia for further reduction and encourages
the US and China to engage in a bilateral dialogue on
nuclear arms control and disarmament.
We should breathe new life into the discussions on
the CTBT and an FMCT. In order to build momentum
towards facilitating the entry into force of the CTBT,
I will convene a meeting of the CTBT Friends at theleader’s level during the United Nations General Assemblyin September. I reiterate our call for the immediate
commencement of negotiations on an FMCT.
The fourth action is to secure nuclear non-proliferationand promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy uponthat basis. While there are concerns about the possibilityof another nuclear test, Japan will address North Korea’s
nuclear and missile issues in coordination with theinternational community.
The return to compliance with the Iran nuclear
agreement is also yet to be realized. Japan will contributeproactively towards facilitating dialogue. The peacefuluses of nuclear energy should go hand in hand withnuclear safety. The recent attacks on nuclear facilities
by Russia must not be tolerated. Building on the lessons
learned from the 2011 accident, Japan will continue
to reconstruct the affected areas and address various
challenges associated with decommissioning of the nuclear
power station. In close cooperation with the international
community, including the IAEA, Japan will continue toadvance its efforts in a transparent manner in accordancewith domestic and international safety standards.
For the fifth action, Japan will promote the accurate
understanding on the realities of nuclear weapons use
Prime Minister Kishida andAntónio Guterres, SecretaryGeneral of the United
Nations (UN), visited theHiroshima Peace Memorial
Museum on August 6, 2022,
the 77th anniversary of theworld’s first atomic bombing.
On that day, the Peace
Memorial Ceremony for thevictims of the bombing
was held, attended byrepresentatives from 99nations, as well as those fromthe European Union andinternational organizations
including the UN.

POLICY & DIPLOMACYPRAYING FOR
PEACE WITH
PAPER CRANESThe Atomic Bomb Dome received the full force of the blast as it lay just around 160
meters from the bomb’s epicenter. Despite most of the building’s interior having burnt
down, its outer structure has been preserved almost intact, appearing as it was immediately
after the bomb exploded. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, where this World
Cultural Heritage site is located, is adorned throughout with paper cranes, which areconsidered symbols of peace. AFLO

through encouraging visits to Hiroshima and Nagasaki byinternational leaders and others.
In this connection, I welcome the visit by Secretary
General Antonio Guterres to Hiroshima on August 6.
Japan shall make a contribution of ten million dollars
to the United Nations in order to set up a “YouthLeader Fund for a world without nuclear weapons.” By
inviting future leaders to Japan and providing them with
opportunities to learn firsthand the realities of nuclear
weapon use, this will create a global network among theyouth towards the elimination of nuclear weapons.
4. Conclusion
In order to build global momentum towards a world
without nuclear weapons, I decided to hold the firstmeeting of the new “International Group of EminentPersons” on November 23 in Hiroshima, which will
enjoy the involvement of former and incumbent politicalleaders of the world.
Mr. President,
In 2023, Japan will host the G7 Summit in Hiroshima.
It is my intention to demonstrate our firm commitment
from Hiroshima to never repeat the catastrophe of atomic
bombings.
Today, I have folded a paper crane and brought it withme here. SASAKI Sadako, the girl whose image served
as the model for the Children’s Peace Monument in theHiroshima Peace Park, kept folding paper cranes, wishingto live. Today, paper cranes have come to symbolize
worldwide prayers for peace and a world without nuclear
weapons.
I will make steps towards a world without nuclear
weapons together with all the people who share thecommon aspiration around the world.
Thank you.

In Hiroshima City, locatedin western Japan, one can find abronze statue holding a crane up
to the sky, with arms earnestly
outstretched. The monument,
which has been standing for overhalf a century now, was modeled
after a girl named Sadako. On
August 6, 1945, when the atomic
bomb was dropped on the city,
2-year-old Sadako was at herhome just 1.6 km or so fromthe hypocenter. Although theblast wave threw her outside, shesuffered no external injuries.
Sadako grew up to be an
athletically inclined young girlwho dreamed of becoming aphysical education teacher. But
in the autumn of 1954, when
she was 11 years old, signs ofillness started to emerge in herbody. Lumps whose cause was

unknown formed on her neckand behind her ears, and her facebecame swollen. In February thefollowing year, she was diagnosed
with leukemia, one of the causesof which being thought to be theaftereffects of radiation exposure.
Her parents were informed that
she had “one year at the most.”
After Sadako was hospitalized,friends who visited her said
that she fretted about whether
she would be able to keep up
with schoolwork after being
discharged. No one told her what
she suffered from. The illness
progressed and purple patches
started spreading over her legs.
While undergoing gruelingtreatment,
Sadakobecame15

Fold the left, right, and top flaps
toward the center, then unfold
them (this stage is only forcreating a crease).

9SPOTTY/PHOTO LIBRARY

family. She was just 12 years old.
Sadako’s death initiated amovement to erect a monument
to remember and pray for thechildren who had died fromthe bomb and its effects, and toachieve world peace. In 1958,
the Children’s Peace Monument,
modeled after Sadako, wascompleted in Hiroshima City.
Through novels, picture books,
and many other such means,
Sadako’s story has been told tothe world, and the paper crane is
now widely known as a symbolof peace. Even today, about 10
million paper cranes a year are
brought and sent from within
and outside Japan as offerings tothe monument.

HOW TO MAKE A PAPER CRANE

Prepare a square sheet of paperand fold it in half diagonally.

The Children’s Peace
Monument in theHiroshima Peace
Memorial Park depicts ayoung girl modeled after
Sadako holding a crane
up to the sky in her
outstretched arms.

captivated by the colorful paper
cranes that were delivered to thehospital to wish for the recoveryof patients. She became soengrossed in folding them that
she churned out some 1,000
cranes in less than a month.
The cranes, sometimes madeof the paper used for wrapping
medicines, gradually became
smaller in order to save paper,
which was so precious at thattime. Each crane carried Sadako’s
prayers to get well, and shewould not stop folding themeven after becoming unable towalk on her own. Her condition
did not improve, however, and in
October 1955, she passed away
peacefully, surrounded by her

Slightly open up one side and pull
the crane leg up, then fold inward.
Do the same for the other side.

2

Fold it in half diagonally again.

6

Open up the square by lifting thebottom corner upward, and thenfold the left and right corners
inward along the creases.

10

Reverse fold the end of one side
to make the head, and pull thewings down.

3

4

Lift up the top layer of the trianglefrom the bottom edge and flatten it
to make a square.

78

Turn the paper over and repeat
steps 5 and 6 for the other side.

11

Turn the paper over and repeat
step 3 for the other side.

Fold the left and right flaps toward
the center (using the top layer of
paper only). Do the same for theother side.

Finished!

AFLO