Topic: 2024-Indiscriminate Weapons
Country: Japan
Delegate Name: Katherine Risley
Japan’s experience in World War II, specifically the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, have shaped its firm opposition to the use of weapons of mass destruction and other indiscriminate arms. Such weapons target wide areas without distinction, disproportionately affecting innocent civilians and leaving long lasting environmental and public health impacts. Japan believes that within the DISEC committee, decisive action must be taken to ensure that such weapons are banned internationally and all members of the UN understand their severe impacts to humans and the environment.
Japan supports the strengthening of existing international agreements such as the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). Japan advocates for a comprehensive global ban on the use of indiscriminate weapons, including cluster munitions, landmines, and chemical weapons, and believes that countries must take immediate steps to ensure full compliance with these agreements. Furthermore, Japan urges the international community to close any existing legal loopholes that allow the use of such weapons under certain conditions. In order to mitigate environmental and human health impacts of the use of such weapons, Japan advocates for the establishment of a global clean up fund managed through organizations such as the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS). Additionally, Japan believes in the importance of developing more advanced technology to detect and neutralize mines, as well as the expansion of victim assistance programs to ensure adequate medical care to civilians that have been impacted by indiscriminate weapons.
Finally, Japan believes that one major focus within the DISEC committee should be developing global standards for the usage of autonomous weapons, making new technologies within warfare subject to international expectations. Japan believes that in order to promote peace and stability, the world must be made free from indiscriminate weapons.
