Statement by Mr. Ichita YAMAMOTO,
Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy,
Head of Delegation of Japan
at the 57th General Conference of the IAEA
16 September 2013

Mr. President,
Mr. Director General,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Government of Japan, I would like tocongratulate you, H.E. Ambassador Xolisa Mabhongo, on theassumption of your duties as the President of the 57th General
Conference of the IAEA. The Government of Japan also welcomes
Brunei Darussalam and the Commonwealth of The Bahamas as
new members of the IAEA.
This 57th General Conference has approved the reappointment of
the Director General, Mr. Yukiya Amamo. Under Director General
Amano’s leadership, the IAEA has been working vigorously on thepromotion of peaceful uses of nuclear energy not only in the fieldof nuclear power, but also in non-power applications such as
cancer therapy and water management. I would like tocongratulate Director General Amano on his reappointment andwish him continued success.
Allow me to explain briefly our current efforts to address theaccident at the TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear PowerStation.
We understand that the contaminated water issue has beendrawing international attention. Taking countermeasures againstthis contaminated water leakage issue is the most urgent task forus. The Government of Japan has decided to assume a proactiverole to achieve a fundamental settlement of this issue.
As Prime Minister Abe stated, the entire Government willcontinue working in an integrated manner to put its full weight
into settling the contaminated water issue, while also enhancing
the dissemination of accurate information to the international
community.
On September 3rd, the Government of Japan formulated the“Basic Policy for the Contaminated Water Issue at the TEPCO’s
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station” aiming at thefundamental settlement of this issue. In line with this policy, theGovernment of Japan decided to provide funding of 47 billion Yen
for the projects, such as building the frozen-earth impermeable
wall and building more advanced multi-nuclide removalequipment, which require the Government’s proactiveinvolvement.
With regard to the influence of the contaminated water, increased
radioactivity was observed within the port of the TEPCO’s
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, in an area smaller
than 0.3 km². No significant increase in radioactive levels has
been detected outside the port at present and the radioactive leveloutside the port and in the open sea remains below limit of WHO’s
Guideline for drinking water quality.
I wish to add that, after the Fukushima Daiichi Accident, Japan
adopted the highest level of standard for food and water quality,
in line with international guidelines, and has been conducting
strict monitoring and distribution management.
The safety of water and food in Japan is guaranteed.
The nuclear reactors at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Station had been cooled down and stabilized by the end of 2011. A2significant decrease in radioactive releases has been also achieved.
The Government of Japan and TEPCO are steadily taking
measures to realize the decommissioning of the reactors. The
removal of spent fuel from the fuel pool is scheduled to start thisNovember.
The decommissioning work at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station and resolving the contaminated water issue areunprecedented tasks which face a series of difficulties. A structure
to bring together technologies, expertise and wisdom from Japanand the international community, including the IAEA, is needed.
In August this year, the “International Research Institute for
Nuclear Decommissioning (IRID)” was established to meet thisneed. Also, Japan will set up an online forum to collectsuggestions and recommendations from public. The collection of
proposed suggestions and technologies is scheduled to start thismonth. The second IAEA decommissioning mission to address thecontaminated water issue will be dispatched to Japan in autumn
this year, following the one that took place in April. Japan is alsoplanning to receive a follow-up IAEA remediation mission inOctober this year.
Japan will deal with the contaminated water issue and thedecommissioning work in an internationally open manner andwill welcome recommendations and cooperation from the IAEA
and the international community.
We extend our invitation to all the delegate to attend Japan’s side
event on the current status of the Fukushima Accident, including
the contaminated water issue. It will be held this afternoon in theC2 conference room of the C Building.
In December last year, the current Government was formed underPrime Minister Abe in Japan. The Abe Government, with the firmdetermination not to let an accident ever happen again and withthe commitment to strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation3

regime, will review from scratch the policy known as “Zerooperation of nuclear stations by 2030’s” decided by the former
Government and reestablish a responsible energy policy which
will ensure the stable supply of energy and reduce energy costs.
The Government of Japan has been working on a new
medium-and-long-term energy policy including nuclear energy
with a view to formulating it by the end of this year.
Japan will re-start the nuclear power plants which are currently
shut down once their compliance with the newly enacted
regulations is confirmed by the Nuclear Regulation Authority. Wewill work on obtaining acceptance from the relevant local
Governments for the restart of these plants. As for Japan’s
nuclear fuel cycle policy, Japan will continue the reprocessing ofspent fuel and recycling plutonium as fuel while ensuringtransparency.
It is our country’s responsibility to contribute to the improvementof nuclear safety in the world. Japan will continue to offer
technologies with high standards of safety to the countries whichplan to introduce or expand their own nuclear power programs.
For this purpose, Japan, together with the IAEA, hosted the“IAEA Nuclear Energy Management School” in May this year.
Japan has been engaging in activities in the areas of nuclear
technology and knowledge management, human resources
development, institutional development, and the promotion of
public acceptance in nuclear power introducing countries, amongothers.
Japan is determined to further contribute to the strengthening ofnuclear safety worldwide by sharing the experience and lessons
learned from the Fukushima Daiichi accident with theinternational community. To this end, Japan hosted the“Fukushima Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety” inDecember last year in cooperation with the IAEA. 117 states and
13 international organizations participated in this conference and4

reaffirmed the importance of strengthening nuclear safety.
Japan expresses gratitude to the Malaysian Government forco-chairing the conference, the member states for theirparticipation, and the IAEA Secretariat for their invaluable
contribution to the success of the conference.
It goes without saying that Japan will actively cooperate with theIAEA to formulate the IAEA comprehensive report on theFukushima Daiichi Accident.
In Fukushima, various cooperation projects between the IAEA
and the Fukushima Prefecture and the Fukushima Medical
University are ongoing.
I would like to take this opportunity to express on behalf of theJapanese people our sincere gratitude to the IAEA and its
Member States for the support extended to Japan.
Japan believes that the steady implementation of the IAEA
Nuclear Safety Action Plan adopted in September 2011 is a highpriority and has been supporting this process. In May this year,
the “IAEA RANET Capacity Building Centre” was designated inFukushima Prefecture and the first training course was held with
40 participants from 18 countries. Japan will actively contributeto the strengthening of nuclear safety worldwide by working on
the strengthening of the RANET (Response and Assistance
Network), reviewing IAEA safety standards, as well as engaging
in discussions on nuclear-safety related conventions, incooperation with the IAEA.
In July this year, the IAEA successfully organized the“International Conference on Nuclear Security”, the first everministerial-level conference on this issue at the IAEA. Japan,
once again, would like to express its great appreciation for theefforts made by Director General Mr. Amano and his staff.
Mr. Shunichi Suzuki, Parliamentary Senior Vice-Minister for5

Foreign Affairs attended the conference together with a numberof participants from Japan who contributed actively to the successof the conference.
Japan continues to play a responsible role in strengthening
nuclear security as a country utilizing nuclear energy. Japan will
host a workshop ahead of receiving IAEA International PhysicalProtection Advisory Service (IPPAS) missions to Japan. Japan
has been accelerating the work toward its ratification of theAmendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection ofNuclear Material (CPPNM).
In order to contribute to the strengthening of international
nuclear security, Japan established, in December 2010, the“Integrated Support Center for Nuclear Nonproliferation andNuclear Security (ISCN)”. Since then, the ISCN, in cooperation
with the IAEA, has provided seminars on peaceful uses of nuclear
energy and training courses on physical protection to about 850
experts from Asian and other countries and thereby contributedto strengthening the non-proliferation and nuclear security
systems of those countries. The ISCN has also been conducting
research and development activities on advanced technologies
regarding the measurement and detection of nuclear materials forpossible applications in the areas of nuclear non-proliferation andnuclear security. The ISCN is actively sharing these endeavors
with the international community.
Japan will continue and strengthen this kind of contribution incooperation with the IAEA and other countries.
In order to promote peaceful uses of nuclear energy, it is essentialthat we strengthen the safeguards, while ensuring nuclear safetyand security.
Japan therefore advocates the universalization of the Additional
Protocol in the context of strengthening of the safeguards.
In this regard, Japan welcomes the fact that five states concluded
additional protocols in 2012 and is grateful for the work of theIAEA Secretariat in this regard. Japan, in cooperation with theIAEA and other member states, will continue to work on the6universalization of the Additional Protocol.
North Korea’s nuclear issue is a serious threat to peace andsecurity not only for East Asia but also for the entire
international community.
In February this year, North Korea conducted its third nuclear
test despite the repeated calls by the whole international
community to comply fully with relevant United Nations Security
Council resolutions and not to conduct any further provocation
including nuclear tests. This nuclear test by North Korea, whentaken together with two missile launches last year which show
the enhancement of its capability to deliver weapons of mass
destruction, is totally unacceptable, as it represents a grave
challenge to the international non-proliferation regime centeredon the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and seriously
undermines the peace and security of Northeast Asia as well as
the international community as a whole.
Furthermore, in April this year, North Korea announced its
intention to restart the Yongbyon nuclear facilities. If NorthKorea readjusts and restarts the Yongbyon nuclear facilities, itwill be in violation of its commitments under the Six-Party Talks
and its obligations under the relevant UN Security Councilresolutions. Japan has grave concerns in this regard.
In order to prevent further development of North Korea’s nuclear
programmes and in order to address the threats posed by theprocurement and proliferation of nuclear material and equipmentby North Korea, it is essential for the international community to
be united in continuing the steady implementation of the relevant
UN Security Council resolutions. It is imperative that theinternational community clearly express its firm position that it
will never acknowledge North Korea as a Nuclear State.
With regard to the Iranian nuclear issue, the country must dispel
all suspicions and restore the confidence of the international
community.
On September 27th, the IAEA and Iran will hold the first round of7

talks since President Rouhani took office as the new IranianPresident. Japan urges Iran to cooperate fully with the IAEA toresolve all outstanding issues.
Japan firmly believes that the benefits of peaceful uses of nuclear
technology should be enjoyed by the largest number of IAEA
member states. Japan thus supports Director General Amano’s
initiatives to promote peaceful uses of nuclear technology in
non-power applications.
Technical Cooperation is a practical means of realizing this goal.
In order to further support the IAEA’s activities in this area,
Japan, in addition to its contribution to the Technical CooperationFund, has contributed $3.5 million each year since 2011 to the“Peaceful Uses Initiative (PUI)”.
I am pleased to announce that Japan will make a contribution of
0.5 million euro to support the renovation of the IAEA’s Nuclear
Sciences and Applications Laboratories in Seibersdorf.
Japan attaches great importance to the non-power application ofnuclear technology in areas such as water management, food,agriculture, medicine and industry, and is continuing its
cooperation to this end. This year’s Scientific Forum, which will
start tomorrow, focuses on the marine environment.
We recognize the vital importance of oceans, and believe that theprotection of the marine environment is an essential element toaddress global challenges including climate change. Japan values
the Agency’s activities in this field, especially the establishment of
the Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre in
Monaco, and contributed one hundred and fifty thousand(150,000) US dollars from our PUI contribution to the Centre thisyear. Japan is looking forward to fruitful discussions at theScientific Forum.

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Japan is determined to continue its contribution to theinternational community in the promotion of peaceful uses ofnuclear energy, by sharing, in cooperation with the IAEA, theexperience and lessons learned from the Fukushima nuclear
accidentwiththeworld,
while
ensuring
safeguards/non-proliferation, nuclear safety and nuclear security
in conducting nuclear activities.
Thank you for your attention.

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