Announcement by Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi on the U.K.'s Cut in Nuclear Warheads

July 9, 1998

I sincerely welcome the United Kingdom's decision taken on July 8 to reduce the number of nuclear warheads to be carried on Trident submarines. This courageous action will improve the international nuclear disarmament climate. Japan's consistent and fundamental stance insists on the importance of cumulative concrete nuclear disarmament measures, aiming at a world free of nuclear weapons. Japan has earnestly desired such a large reduction of nuclear warheads, and therefore highly regards the U.K.'s decision which will encourage international nuclear disarmament efforts.
Article Six of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons stipulates that each of the Parties to the Treaty undertakes to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to nuclear disarmament. The G8 Foreign Ministerial Declaration in June 1998 also expresses determination for nuclear disarmament. Disarmament efforts by the nuclear-weapon States are extremely important in safeguarding the non-proliferation regime. We hope that the present UK decision would spur the other nuclear-weapon States to make further efforts for nuclear disarmament

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