Kazakhstan and Japan call for nuclear-weapons-free world

TOKYO. KAZINFORM On September 19, 2019 in Tokyo the international conference «Kazakhstan-Japan: path to a nuclear-weapons-free world» was held as part of the eponymous visiting scientific and exhibition project of the Library of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Elbasy. The conference is devoted to the most important aspects of the activities of Elbasy N.A. Nazarbayev in the development of the global movement for a nuclear-free world, the press service of the Kazakh Embassy in Tokyo informs.
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Opening the conference, Ambassador Yerlan Baudarbek-Kozhatayev noted the global contribution of the First President of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev in the development of the movement for a nuclear-free world, as well as the fruitful interaction of Kazakhstan and Japan in the field of the ban on nuclear testing.

«On August 29 of this year, Kazakhstan submitted to the United Nations Secretariat a document that took one step closer to the prospect of the entry into force of the historic Treaty, which for the first time would establish a legal ban on nuclear weapons. Ratification of this treaty will give us the moral right to continue further active work in the field of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation» said Yerlan Baudarbek-Kozhatayev.

In his welcoming remarks, former Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations Yasushi Akashi praised the efforts of Japan and Kazakhstan in informing the world community about the devastating consequences of nuclear weapons for the whole world.

«The destruction of nuclear weapons is a very important topic for which we must take decisive action. We must ban nuclear weapons, their transportation and storage. Must ensure transparency of policies in relation to nuclear disarmament. Japan made every effort to submit a proposal to the UN on nuclear non-proliferation not only in Kazakhstan, but also in other Central Asian countries so that they become a nuclear-weapon-free zone» Y. Akashi said.

In his turn, the Director of the Elbasy Library, Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor Amerkhan Rakhimzhanov expressed confidence that the results of the conference will greatly contribute to building a world free of nuclear weapons.

«One of the most serious problems of the 21st century is the threat of nuclear terrorism and the illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials. Today, to eliminate all negative trends, the entire political will of the world community, including Kazakhstan and Japan, is needed. Nursultan Nazarbayev said: «Each of us bears our share of responsibility for ensuring that a split atom does not split our world». Kazakhstan believes that only through international cooperation can national security of states without nuclear weapons be ensured», A.Rakhimzhanov emphasized.

Honorary Ambassador of the ATOM project, a well-known Kazakh artist Karipbek Kuyukov presented his anti-nuclear art works to the Japanese public at the conference. In his words, he emphasized the contribution of Elbasy to building a world free of nuclear weapons, as well as the fact that Kazakhstan is the first country in the world to voluntarily abandon its largest arsenal of nuclear weapons.

The Head of the Nagasaki Representation in Tokyo Hisato Mitsutake conveyed to the participants an appeal from the Mayor of Nagasaki Tomihisa Taue, in which he expressed gratitude to the organizers of the event for their efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons and strengthen peace on earth.

«Nagasaki, having passed through such a test, expresses his sincere wish: may Nagasaki be the last city on Earth to which the atomic bomb has been dropped. There are still about 14 thousand nuclear warheads in the world, the international situation on nuclear weapons is extremely uncertain. Right now, civil society should unite even more and loudly declare in favor of the existence of a world without nuclear weapons» read H. Mitsutake.


In his speech, President of the Goi Peace Foundation Hiroo Saionji recalled that the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan was awarded the 2016 Special Culture of Peace Prize for outstanding leadership in building a nuclear-free world.

«Kazakhstan and Japan suffered from nuclear weapons. And our task is for the next generations to know about this tragedy. This is our common mission - Japan and Kazakhstan. The starting point in this matter should be a change in the thinking of all citizens of the world, we must direct our common efforts towards building a nuclear-free world» Hiroo Sionji expressed his opinion.

Speaking at the reception after the conference, the Chairman of the Japanese Parliamentary Friendship League with Kazakhstan Takeo Kawamura noted the special role of interaction in the field of nuclear non-proliferation between Japan and Kazakhstan, emphasizing that such a position of the two countries is an unprecedented example on the world stage.


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