Japan has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the global nuclear non-proliferation regime ahead of this month’s crucial Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), following talks between Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and senior United Nations official Izumi Nakamitsu in Tokyo.
During a meeting held on Thursday afternoon, Motegi and Nakamitsu, the UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, agreed to work closely together in preparation for the upcoming NPT Review Conference, set to begin later this month. The conference is expected to take place against a backdrop of mounting geopolitical tensions and growing concerns over global strategic stability.
According to Japan’s Foreign Ministry, Motegi stressed the importance of preserving and reinforcing the NPT framework amid what he described as an increasingly severe international security environment. He added that Japan intends to play an active diplomatic role in bridging differences between nuclear-armed states and non-nuclear states during the negotiations.
The meeting also touched on broader cooperation between Tokyo and the United Nations, with both sides discussing the need to strengthen the role of the UN at a time of heightened global uncertainty. This year marks the 70th anniversary of Japan’s accession to the United Nations, a milestone both parties said underscored the importance of continued bilateral coordination.
As the only country to have suffered atomic bombings in wartime, Japan has long positioned itself as a leading advocate for nuclear disarmament while remaining under the protection of the US nuclear umbrella—a balance that continues to define its complex diplomatic posture in international security discussions.
