TASK
SETTING
TASK
1 (Preventing misuse)
The 9th item contains six steps to be taken, 9a to
9f, but they are covered by an overall chapeau including
“international security” and the “principle of undiminished
security for all.” In the negotiation process, the nuclear-weapon
States favored the phrase “strategic stability” as a chapeau to
cover the 9th item, but the New Agenda countries and
others found this to be a recognition of the nuclear weapons
balance, and insisted on the wording “international stability.”
In the same way, nuclear deterrence and the balance of power
can be used as a basis for opposing nuclear disarmament, through the
“principle of undiminished security for all.” For example, there
are arguments, within the Japanese government, that “the US policy
of first-use of nuclear weapons is a necessary deterrent against
threat posed by the DPRK.” This is one example of a government
resisting steps towards nuclear disarmament with the excuse that
those steps might diminish the state’s security.
Rather, “international stability” and “undiminished
security for all” should be argued in such a way that they will be
created and maintained through the promotion of nuclear disarmament
by taking steps as nuclear arms reduction, lowered alert status,
enhanced accountability for nuclear weapons, the reduction of
dependence on nuclear weapons by means such such as no-first-use,
confidence building, and the promotion of compliance with existing
agreements.
EVALUATION
During the relevant period, there were no instance where TASK
1 became the direct point of issue in relation
to the implementation of items 9a to 9f. However, the US action of
openly violating the 7th item (the ABM Treaty/START) and
replacing START with unilateral cuts was an alarm for the
implementation of the steps such as (9a) unilateral cuts and (9b)
transparency. As described before in our report on the 7th
item, the GOJ did not cope with it properly.
We give a D grade to Japan’s efforts on this item.
