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Statements Archive |
LAST UPDATE
July 11, 2005
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| May 24, 2005 |
Call for an indefinite postponement of the operation of the Rokkasho plutonium reprocessing plant |
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An appeal to Japan for leadership toward strengthening of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime
The 2005 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference is nearing its end. The member states must make utmost efforts to make the conference a successful one in order to reduce the nuclear threats now facing the world. While it is vital for the nuclear-weapon states to take concrete measures towards irreversible disarmament, the halt of the proliferation of the materials usable for nuclear weapons – highly enriched uranium and plutonium – is also an integral part of the objectives of the NPT.
At the opening of the NPT Review Conference, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan stressed the nuclear threat and warned as follows:
"The regime will not be sustainable if scores more States develop the most sensitive phases of the fuel cycle" (uranium enrichment and reprocessing) and those states "are equipped with the technology to produce nuclear weapons on short notice – and, of course, each individual State which does this only will leave others to feel that they must do the same. This would increase all the risks – of nuclear accident, of trafficking, of terrorist use, and of use by states themselves."
Thus, efforts to prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons materials and technology are important in order also to secure progress toward nuclear abolition.
A statement released at the beginning of the NPT Review Conference by the Union of Concerned Scientists, signed by 27 US experts including four Nobel laureates, says "At a time when the non-proliferation regime is facing its greatest challenge, Japan should not proceed with its current plans for the start-up of the Rokkasho reprocessing plant."
If operated, the Rokkasho plant would be the only commercial-scale plutonium production plant in a country without nuclear weapons. Planned to start its active testing using spent nuclear fuel in December of this year and to go into commercial operation in 2007, it could separate approximately 8 metric tons of plutonium per year, enough to make 1000 nuclear bombs. To underscore how absolutely unnecessary this production would be, Japan already has more than 40 tons of plutonium stockpiled in Japan and in Europe, enough to make 5000 bombs.
Additional production and accumulation of weapons-usable materials by Japan would further complicate proliferation concerns in the Northeast Asia region. If the plant is started now this would present an excuse called "the Japanese example" to those countries seeking to acquire nuclear weapons (materials). Thus, the start up of Rokkasho and implementation of an unecomical program to use the separated plutonium as a fuel in commercial nuclear power reactors presents a global proliferation risk that simply cannot be ignored by NPT signatories.
With the closing of the NPT Review Conference at hand, we call on the government of Japan, which well knows the tragedy that could be caused by the use of nuclear weapons, to lead the world toward the disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. A critical step towards this goal would be for Japan to take the courageous decision to indefinitely postpone the operation of the Rokkasho reprocessing plant. |
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Main Organizers:
- Akira Kawasaki, Executive Committee, Peace Boat
- Hiromichi Umebayashi, President, Peace Depot
- Kevin Martin, Executive Director, Peace Action
- Martin Butcher, Director, Security Programs, Physicians for Social Responsibility
- Daryl Kimball, Executive Director, Arms Control Association
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| List of Signatories:
USA
- John Burroughs, Executive Director, Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy, US
- Alice Slater, Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE), USA
- Daniel Ellsberg, Pentagon Papers Whistle Blower
- Daryl Kimball, Executive Director, Arms Control Association
- Kevin Martin, Executive Director, Peace Action
- Martin Butcher, Director, Security Programs, Physicians for Social Responsibility
- Peter Weiss, President, Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy
Vice-President, International, Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms
- Dr. Joseph Gerson, Director of Programs, American Friends Service Committee, New England Regional Office.
- David Culp, Legislative Representative Friends Committee on National Legislation (Quakers)
- Cora Weiss, President, International Peace Bureau, and Hague Appeal for Peace
- Zia Mian, Program on Science and Global Security, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University
- Thomas B. Cochran, Director, Nuclear Program, Wade Greene Chair for Nuclear Policy, Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.
- Stephen I. Schwartz, editor and co-author of Atomic Audit: The Costs and Consequences of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Since 1940
- David Krieger, President, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
- Kathleen Gwynn, President & CEO, Steven and Michele Kirsch Foundation
- John M. Miller, Treasurer, War Resisters League
- G. Simon Harak, Anti-Militarism Coordinator, War Resisters League
- Joseph Cirincione, Director for Nonproliferation, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Richard A. Falk, Visiting Professor, University of California at Santa Barbara
(UCSB) and Chair, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.
- Ellen E. Barfield, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
- Christopher E. Paine, Senior Nuclear Program Analyst, Natural Resources Defense Council, Washington, D.C.
- Greg Mello, Executive Director, Los Alamos Study Group
- Gillian Gilhool, Program Director, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
- Darryl Fagin, Legislative Director, Americans for Democratic Action
- Arjun Makhijani, Ph.D., President, Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, Takoma Park, Maryland, USA
- Dr. Lawrence S. Wittner, Professor of History, State University of New York/Albany
- Harold Feiveson, Senior Research Policy Scientist,
Program on Science & Global Security, Princeton University
- Carol Urner, Co-chair, DISARM: Dismantle the War Economy Campaign
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
- Jacqueline Cabasso, Executive Director, Western States Legal Foundation
- Tom Clements, Senior Adviser, Nuclear Campaign, Greenpeace International
- Ginger Gouveia, Retired businessperson, Oregon, USA
- Brian A. Perkins, Newport, OR
Russia
- Alexander K. Nikitin, Council Chair, Environmental Rights Center "Bellona" St. Petersburg, Russia
- Lydia Popova, Director, Center for Nuclear Ecology and Energy Policy
Socio-Ecological Union International, SEU Co-Chair
- Professor Alexey Yablokov, President, The Center for Russian Environmental
Policy, Moscow, Russia,
UK
- Dave Webb, Professor, School of Technology, Leeds Metropolitan University
- Dave Knight, Vice-President, CND UK
- Dr. Ian Davis, Executive Director, British American Security Information Council (BASIC), London
- Councillor George Regan, Chairman, UK Nuclear Free Local Authorities
- Dr. Rebecca E. Johnson, Executive Director & Editor, ACRONYM Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy
France
- Pierre VILLARD,co-president du Mouvement de la Paix (France)
- Ms.Solange Fernex, former member of the European Parliament
- Dominique Lalanne, Nuclear physicist, CNRS, France
Chair of Abolition of Nuclear Weapons/Stop Essais
- A. BEHAR, M.D., PHD, PRESIDENT, Association des Medecins Francais pour la Prevention des Guerres Nucleaires (AMFPGN)
- Sylvain Garel, Conseiller de Paris (Les Verts),
China
- Li Bin, Ph. D., Professor, Director of Arms Control Program, Institute of International Studies, Tsinghua University
India
- Anand Patwardan, documentary filmmaker, India
- Achin Vanaik, Professor, Political Science Department, Delhi University and a
member of the National Coordinating Committee of Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP)
- M. V. Ramana, Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Environment and Development, ISEC Campus, Bangalore
Pakistan
- Dr. A. H. Nayyar, Visiting Research Fellow, Sustainable Development Policy Institute
- Dr. M. Anis Alam, retired Professor of Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
- Pervez Hoodbhoy Professor of Physics Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad
Canada
- Steven Staples, Polaris Institute, Canada
Germany
- Xanthe Hall IPPNW Germany
- Prof. Dr. Martin Janicke, Leiter Forschungsstelle fur Umweltpolitik (FFU)
Freie Universitat Berlin, Fachbereich Politik- und Sozialwissenschaften
Otto-Suhr-Institut fur Politikwissenschaft
- Prof. Dr. Thomas Gornitz, Institut fur Didaktik der Physik, J. W. Goethe-Universitat Frankfurt/Main, Vorsitzender des Vorstandes der C. F. v. Weizsacker-Gesellschaft
- Ursula Schonberge, Arbeitsgemeinschaft Schacht Konrad e.V., ehemalige energiepolitische Sprecherin der Fraktion Bundnis 90/Die Grune im Bundestag
- Uta Zapf, MdB, Vorsitzende des Unterausschusses, fur Abrustung und Rustungskontrolle, Deutscher Bundestag
- Dr. Göts Nueneck, Federation of German Scientists, Hamburg
Netherlands
- Karel Koster
Project on European Nuclear Non-Proliferation - Netherlands (PENN-Nl)
Switzerland
- Colin Archer, Sec-Gen, International Peace Bureau
- Michel Fernex, MD, Professor emeritus, Medical Faculty, University of Basel
- Yves Renaud
ancien president du SOLAR Club du CERN (Geneve)
FORMER president of Solar Club, CERN, Geneva,
- Prof. Dr. med. A. Nidecker, Univ. of Basel, Dept. of Radiology, Basel, Switzerland
Australia
- Senator Bob Brown, Australian Greens, Australian Senate
- Senator Kerry Nettle, Australian Greens, Australian Senate
- Dr. Sue Warham, President, Medical Association for the Prevention of War (Australian affiliate of the IPPNW)
- Mr. Nic Maclellan, journalist and researcher, Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific movement
New Zealand
- Alyn Ware, Consultant, International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms
Republic of Korea
- KANG,Jungmin, Associate of Nautilus Institute
- Cheong Wooksik, the representative of Civil Network for a Peaceful Korea (CNPK)
Republic of the Marshall Islands
- Tony A. de Brum, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Minister of Health and Environment for the Republic of the Marshall Islands (ret.)
Philippines
- Corazon Valdez-Fabros, Chairperson, Pacific Concerns Resource Centre/Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific Movement
Vanuatu
- Hilda Lini, former Director of the Pacific Concerns Resource Centre/Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific Movement and former Minister of Health, Vanuatu
Turkey
- Prof. Dr. L. Berrin Erbay
Japan
- Haruko MORITAKI, Co-Director of Hiroshima Alliance for Nuclear Weapons Abolition
- Dr. Motoko Shuto, Professor, University of Tsukuba, Japan
- OKAMOTO, Atsushi, Editor-in-chief of Magazine SEKAI
- UEMURA CHideaki, President, Shimin Gaikou Center; Associate Professor, Keisen University
- Tsutomu Shoji, United Church of Christ in Japan
- Hiromitsu Toyosaki, Freelance Photojournalist
- Akira Kurosaki, Research Associate, Rikkyo University
- Kazuyuki Kawamura, former member, Shinjuku Ward Assembly
- Eiji Okumura, Secretary General, A-bomb Sufferers Federation, Nagasaki Peace Movement Center
- Takao Takahara, Professor, Meijigakuin University
- Koichi Ishizaka, Assistant Professor, Rikkyo University
- Taka Yamaguchi
- Yasuko Mizusawa
- Mitsutoshi HAYAKAWA, Citizen's Alliance for Saving the Atmosphere and the Earth ; Managing Director / Attorney at Law
- ABE Ryuichiro, associate professor, Shikoku Gakuin University
- Hideo Tsuchiyama, former President, Nagasaki University
- Hitoshi Motoshima, former mayor of Nagasaki
- Akio Kawamura, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Letters, Kobe College
- Sachie Okamoto
- Tomoko Sakuma
- Akihiko Kimijima, Professor, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan
- Mie Asaoka, Director, Kiko Network
- Yurika Ayukawa, WWF Japan, Climate Change Policy Senior Officer
- Yoshiko Shidara
- Ryoichi Hirano
- Hiroshi Shikanai
- Masayoshi Naito, member of Board of Directors, Japan Association of Lawyers against Nuclear Arms
- Jun Hoshikawa, writer and translator
- Yuzuru Arakawa
- Kazuaki Kobayashi
- Kazuma Momoi, photojournalist
- Takako Kawai
- TERAO Terumi, Professor Emeritus at Nagoya Institute of Technology
- Shoji Sawada, Professor Emeritus, Nagoya University
- Yuichi Kaido
- Yoko Tomiyama, representative member of Steering Committee, Consumers Union of Japan
- Ryuichi Sakamoto, musician
- Yasuhisa Iwakawa
- Chieko Tashiro
- Toshiki Mashimo (member of Steering Committee, Consumers Union of Japan /
lecturer, Kobe City University for Foreign Studies)
- Yumi Kikuchi
- Fr Paul Kazuyoshi Okura, Representative Catholic Priest, Catholic Tokyo Archdiocesan Committee for Justice and Peace
- Mitsuhei Murata, Professor, Tokai Gakuen University (former Ambassador to Switzerland)
- Kuniyo Kawabata, YWCA Japan
- Masaru Nishida, literary critic
- Sumiko Tanimoto
- Kikuko Yamaguchi, member, Toshima Ward Assembly, Tokyo
- Kasei Yoshida, Peace Office
- Manabu Hattori, Professor Emeritus, Rikkyo University
- Noriaki Tsuchimoto, documentary filmmaker
- Munetoshi Maejima, Co-Convener, Japan Committee for Negros Campaign (JCNC)
- Sunao Tsuboi, Chair, Board of Directors, Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations
- Kimiko Ogasawara, Chairperson, NCCJ Peace and Nuclear Issue Committee
- Kawabe, Ichiro, Aichi University
- Rokuro Hidaka, sociologist
- Hisae Sawachi, writer
- Maeda Tetsuo(Tokyou International University)
- Takashi Handa
- Akira Kawasaki, Executive Committee, Peace Boat
- Hiromichi UMEBAYASHI, President, Peace Depot, Japan
- Fumiko Amano, Peace & Nuclear Issues Committee, National Council of Churches Japan
- Dr. AYABE Hironori, Research Associate, Tokyo University
- Mitsuo Okamoto, Professor Emeritus, Hiroshima Shudo University
- The most venerable Gyoko Hanawa, Nipponzan Myohoji
- Masa'aki Gabe, Professor, University of the Ryukyus
- Akira Kimura, Professor of Peace Studies, Kagoshima University (member of Board of Directors, Peace Studies Association of Japan)
- Keiko Zaiga, lecturer, Ritsumeikan University
- Motofumi Asai, President, Hiroshima Peace Institute
- Masao Hirasawa, journalist
- Yasuhiko Takeda, Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-Bomb Sufferers Organizations
- Hideyuki Ban, Co-Director, Citizens' Nuclear Information Center
- Masashi Shimakawa, Professor of History, Rikkyo Jogakuin Jr. College.
- Narahiko Toyoshita, Professor, Dept. of Law, Kansai Gakuin University
- Tadaomi Saito, former Asahi Shimbun reporter
- Yoko Kitazawa, Journalist
- Masao Kunihiro, Former member of House of Councillors, Japanese Diet
Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of Edinburgh
- Jun Ui, Professor Emeritus, Okinawa University
- Atsushi Shimokobe, former Administrative Vice-Minister, National Land Agency
- Yoshiro Masuda, Professor Emeritus, Tokyo University (Cultural Anthropology)
- Makoto Katsumata, Professor, Meijigakuin University and Director, International Peace Research Institute, Meiji Gakuin University.
- Yukimaru Sugiyama, former director, The Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University
- Seiji Endo Faculty of Law, Seikei University
- Atsushi Furukawa, professor, Department of Law, Senshu University
- Akira Hasegawa (Maxwell Award Winner, Former Division Chairman, DPP,APS)
- HOSOKAWA, Komei, Professor, School of Environmental and Social Research, Kyoto Seika University, Kyoto
- Yoshino Oishi, Professor (Photojournalist)
- Shigetoshi Iwamatsu (A-Bomb survivor), Chair, Japan Congress Against A- and H-Bombs (GENSUIKIN)
- Terumi Tanaka, Secretary General, Japan Confederation of A-Bomb and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (HIDANKYO)
- Kazuo FURUKAWA, Representative, International Thorium Molten-Salt Forum
- Asaho MIZUSHIMA, Professor of Waseda University
- Mei Shigenobu, journalist
- Michiya Kumaoka, Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC)
- Ryuichi Hirokawa, photojournalist
- SUZUKI, Takamura, Honorary Member of Japan Electric Power Engineering Association
- Shinsho Kajita, Chief Priest, Honenin Temple (Kyoto)
- Tatsuya Shigegaki, Coop employee
- Ikuro Anzai, Professor, Ritsumeikan University
- Ken Takada, Citizens' Coordination Council against Bad Amendments to the Constitution
- Kozue Ohkochi
- Noriko Yanakita
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