Statement by Mr. Ryuji YAMANE,
Parliamentary Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Head of Delegation of Japan
at the 56th General Conference of the IAEA
17 September 2012
Mr. President,
Mr. Director General,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Government of Japan, I would like to congratulate you, H.E. Mr. Barros
Oreiro, on your election as President of the 56th General Conference of the IAEA. I would also
like to welcome the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Republic of Fiji and the Republic of San
Marino as new members.
Mr. President,
One year and a half has passed since the occurrence of the grave damage triggered by theGreat East Japan Earthquake and its resulting tsunamis, and of the accident at the Fukushima
Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS) of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). The
Government of Japan is continuing with efforts, including decontamination, towards restoration ofthe stricken areas in close cooperation with authorities and residents in those areas. TheFukushima NPS achieved the cold shutdown, and is steadily taking long-term steps forward
towards the decommissioning of its reactors. We express our gratitude once again for great
support and assistance provided from the international community to date.
The IAEA has coherently supported our efforts to disseminate the accident-related
information, use lessons derived from the accident for enhanced global nuclear safety andsecurity. At the same time, the IAEA, pivotal in the nuclear non-proliferation system, has beenworking decisively for resolution of the regional nuclear issues. For instance, last November theIAEA hosted the Forum on Experience of Possible Relevance to the Creation of a Nuclear
Weapons-Free Zone in the Middle East to contribute to confidence-building efforts by the Statesconcerned. Moreover, we recognize that all these activities of the IAEA have been financed fromthe budget, the growth of which has been curtailed with its efforts to seek clear priorities of theprojects as well as efficiency gain through the in-house organizational restructure.
We believe that such recognition as above is widely shared among the IAEA member
states. Japan, as one of those, extend its high appreciation to the leadership demonstrated byDirector General Amano. Japan will continue to cooperate with, and assist the IAEA in its efforts
to further strengthen safety, security and safeguards for peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Mr. President,
This General Conference is the first anniversary of the establishment of the IAEA
9Nuclear Safety Action Plan in the previous Conference. In order to discuss progress made in theefforts by the international community for implementation of this Action Plan, and to further
share lessons and knowledge derived from the accident at Fukushima NPS, Japan is organizing“the Fukushima Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety” in Fukushima Prefecture this coming
December in co-sponsorship with the IAEA. We expect high-level participation in this Conference
from as many member states and associated organizations as possible.
In this connection, we would like to explain about some of the major steps we have taken
to contribute to progress in the Action Plan.
First of all, we have fully shared information and knowledge about the Fukushima Dai-ichi
accident with the international community. It is, we trust, an important basis for strengthening
international nuclear safety. Specifically, Japan, as its contribution to the international expert
group meetings or on other occasions, has shared with the international community information
on safety of nuclear reactors and spent fuel pools as well as impact of earthquakes and tsunamis,based on the most advanced technical capabilities. Japan also shared information on the resultsof the IAEA international mission on remediation received in October of last year, the IAEA review
mission on the stress test received in January of this year, and the IAEA mission to examine theperformance in Japan after the earthquake and tsunamis received in July of this year.
Secondly, Japan decided to strengthen the national nuclear regulatory authority.
“Nuclear Regulation Authority” is scheduled to be established on 19 September as a new
independent regulatory authority to be fully separated from the nuclear promotional authorities,
and to integrate the existing regulatory authorities for “3S”, namely Safety, Security andSafeguards, into one.
Furthermore, Japan has dedicated its efforts to strengthening the existing legal
frameworks on nuclear safety, such as proposing the strengthening of the operation of theNuclear Safety Convention as well as the strengthening of the RANET (Response and Assistance
Network) under which each member state can register with the IAEA in advance as to its possible
assistance at the occurrence of a nuclear accident.
In addition to these efforts, Japan has made extra-budgetary contributions in the total
amount of about 13 million euro to assist the IAEA in its efforts for implementing the Action Plan,
conducting its projects towards recovery from the Fukushima accident, and others.
The implementation of the Action Plan has made steady progress to date through theefforts to date by member states, the IAEA Secretariat and others. Japan will continue to work, incooperation with the IAEA Secretariat, to address on-going challenges such as the strengthening
the IAEA Safety Standards and capacity building for states concerned. In this connection, Japanwelcomes that Director General Amano expressed his intention to make a comprehensive reportin 2014 on lessons learned from the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident. Japan will actively cooperate on
this effort.
As part of our further information sharing efforts, we would like to extend our invitation10

to you to our side event for briefing on the status of efforts after the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident,
to be held at Austria Center (Hall E2) this afternoon (4:30pm). Your participation is most welcome.
Mr. President,
Regarding the strengthening nuclear security, the Government of Japan amended therelevant national regulations to reflect into national practice the most updated recommendations
on physical protection contained in the IAEA INFCIRC/225/Rev.5 document, together withlessons derived from the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident in the area of nuclear security. In addition,
the current regulatory work on nuclear security and general coordination function will be
integrated into the newly established Nuclear Regulation Authority, by which our administrative
system for nuclear security will be fundamentally strengthened.
At the same time, Japan will, for its contribution to the strengthening of global nuclear
security, continue to endeavor to provide further assistance to developing countries throughactivities of the “Integrated Support Center for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Nuclear Security”
and others, in concert with the IAEA Secretariat and other countries. Japan appreciates the IAEA
efforts for promotion of the entry-into-force of the Amendment to the Convention on thePhysical Protection of Nuclear Material. Japan recognizes that this Amendment will bring
important changes to global nuclear security, and so will make necessary efforts.
Mr. President,The IAEA is the only international organization which has expertise in all aspects ofnuclear energy, not limited to nuclear safety and security. We should not loosen our effort tosupport these IAEA roles.
From this perspective, Japan attaches importance to the steady implementation of theAction Plan agreed at the 2010 NPT Review Conference, in concert with the IAEA and others. In
this connection, Japan welcomes the ongoing efforts by the United States and Russia towards
control and disposal of certain weapon-grade plutonium and operation of the IAEA verification.
We expect similar efforts of the other nuclear weapon states.
The IAEA safeguards are playing a key role in the nuclear non-proliferation regime. To
improve its effectiveness and efficiency, years of constant efforts by the international community
are indispensable. As part of the outcome of such international efforts, the number of states withadditional protocols in force increased from 110 to 117 for the past one year. Japan welcomes
this steady progress, and believes that this very fact demonstrates that a comprehensive
safeguards agreement and an additional protocol based on their respective models are becoming
an international safeguards standard.
From this viewpoint, Japan will further contribute to efforts for universalization of theadditional protocol in concert with other members and the IAEA Secretariat. Japan will continue
to be active in these efforts by utilizing opportunities including the meeting of the Asian
Senior-level Talks on Non-proliferation, outreach to states concerned in concert with the IAEA,
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and other various multilateral frameworks.
Mr. President,
When we turn our eyes to the regional nuclear issues, they are remaining to be settled andthe pressing challenge to the international community. The IAEA, carrying out its mission among
others to prevent diversion to military uses of nuclear energy, has been playing more and more
important roles in those issues in the light of nuclear non-proliferation regime
The nuclear issue of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is a threat tothe peace and security in East Asia and the entire international community. Its uranium
enrichment programme constitutes a clear violation of United Nations Security Council
Resolutions and the September 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks. Japan hopes that
the IAEA continues to play a critical role in resolving the DPRK’s nuclear issue. As theinternational community clearly stated in the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, theDPRK can never have the status of a nuclear-weapon state. Japan once again urges the DPRK
to immediately take concrete actions toward denuclearization, emphasizing that it is only throughsincerely implementing the Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks and abandoning all nuclear
weapons and existing nuclear programmes that the DPRK can gain international confidence.
As regards the Iranian nuclear issue, it is indispensable for Iran to remove all thesuspicions from the international community and to win its confidence. Japan will continue toact in concert with the international community for peaceful and diplomatic settlement of thisissue.
Concerning the Syrian nuclear issue, Japan strongly hopes that Syria will fully cooperatewith the IAEA and that the relevant facts will be clarified.
Mr. President,
I have so far touched upon nuclear safety and security, and safeguards. We are convincedthat promotion by the IAEA of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy in a manner to ensure those
three pillars is sure to benefit all its member states.
Japan provides support to the IAEA technical cooperation with priority. As part of ouraction in this regard, Japan will make a contribution to the IAEA in the amount of 3.5 million US
dollar in this fiscal year in addition to the contribution made in the fiscal year of 2011 in order for
the IAEA to address the priority challenges in the developing countries through “the IAEA
Peaceful Uses Initiative”.
In addition Japan will continue to contribute to the promotion of technical cooperation in
the areas such as radiological science through the frameworks including “Forum for Nuclear
Cooperation in Asia”, researches on nuclear science and technology, and “Regional Cooperative
Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science andTechnology”.
12For those contributions, assistance to the development of human resources isindispensable. Japan will endeavor, in concert with the IAEA Secretariat, enable promising youth
and others to be more active in the Secretariat. In June of this year, the IAEA Management
School sponsored by Japan through its extra-budgetary contribution to the IAEA was held inTokaimura to train young experts in the world. We will continue to cooperate for training nuclear
experts and holding a school of this sort.
Mr. President,
Having experienced the accident at the Fukushima NPS, Japan has been reviewing fromscratch its national energy policy, building upon nation-wide discussions, for aiming at the mid tolong term energy mix that will be able to assure the public. As a result, the Energy andEnvironment Council of the Japanese Government formulated, on 14 September, the “Innovative
Strategy for Energy and the Environment”. The Strategy’s basic policy is to reduce thedependence on nuclear energy as well as on fossil fuels through the maximization of green energy.
This Strategy, while utilizing nuclear power reactors, the safety of which is confirmed, as animportant source of electricity, aims at utilizing all policy resources including the maximization ofgreen energy development, so that zero operation of nuclear power reactors will be possible inthe 2030’s. This is a target for the use and expansion of green energy and others.
On the other hand, the way forward towards the realization of a society not dependent on
nuclear power is not necessarily a way straight forward but a long one. Since it is extremely
difficult to accurately foresee the international situation of energy and others in the future, it isnecessary to maintain a humble attitude and to be prepared to flexibly respond to any possible
changes. The Government will therefore verify and constantly review, in the light of such mattersas the impact on people’s lives and economic activities, the status of expansion of green energy,
the status of understanding and cooperation of the international community and others.
Furthermore, during this process as well, ensuring nuclear safety is the absolute priority,and the development of human resources and technology on nuclear energy is essential. From
this viewpoint, the Strategy for maintaining and strengthening human resources and technology
will be developed by the end of this year as a responsibility of the Government.
As a responsible country where this nuclear accident took place, taking fully into accountlessons learned from this accident, with a view to enhancing safety in peaceful uses of nuclear
energy through the worldwide efforts, Japan will continue to remain in concert and cooperate with
the international community. Japan is resolved to definitely overcome the challenge which thishistoric accident posed for us by benefiting widely from wisdom of the world. Japan will endeavor,
by obtaining cooperation from the IAEA and other countries, to be able to ensure the world
highest level safety and security for peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and also to further secure
your confidence in that there is no nuclear proliferation concern in and by Japan.
Thank you for your attention.

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