DISARMAMENT: ‘Japan abstains as nuclear arms ban treaty talks start at U.N.’, The Japan Times, 28 March 2017

"Regrettably, given the present circumstances, we must say that it would be difficult for Japan to participate... in a constructive manner and in good faith," disarmament ambassador Nobushige Takamizawa said at the conference stating negotiations to ban nuclear weapons. "We will continue to pursue realistic and effective disarmament measures and will work to create a security environment conducive to the elimination of nuclear weapons." Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said the talks are unrealistic without the participation of nuclear weapon states like North Korea. The negotiations do "not only do not realistically help create a world without nuclear weapons but could also further deepen the rift between nuclear and nonnuclear-weapon states and cause an adverse effect," he said. 'Japan abstains as nuclear arms ban treaty talks start at U.N.', The Japan Times, 28 March 2017