Experts Start Talks on Proposals for NPT Review Conference

   Tokyo, March 30 (Jiji Press)--Experts from Japan and abroad kicked off two-day talks in Tokyo on Sunday for compiling proposals to realize a world without nuclear weapons in the run-up to next year's review conference for the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
   The sixth meeting of the International Group of Eminent Persons for a World without Nuclear Weapons (IGEP) is chaired by Japan's Takashi Shiraishi, special professor of emeritus at Prefectural University of Kumamoto.
   The participating experts will make their proposals to the Japanese government and the international community.
   Japan chose not to participate in the third meeting of signatories to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons held in New York in early March as an observer.
   On this, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said at the outset of the IGEP meeting, "We made a very difficult decision after thoroughly considering our historic mission as the only country attacked with nuclear weapons and the responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of the people as well as our country's independence and peace."

(2025/03/30-11:06)