UN adopts Japan's resolution for nuclear disarmament | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News - NHKニュース

The United Nations has adopted a draft resolution submitted by Japan calling for efforts to create a world without nuclear weapons.

As the only country to have suffered atomic bombings, Japan submits a resolution to the United Nations every year to abolish nuclear weapons.

The draft was adopted on Tuesday at the UN General Assembly's First Committee, with 150 countries voting in favor. The outcome means Japan's proposal has now been adopted for 33 consecutive years, starting in 1994.

The proposal said the General Assembly "deeply regrets the lack of recent progress," referring to the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in May, where countries failed to adopt a final document.

It called on nuclear-weapon states to engage in efforts to fulfill their obligations.

The UK was the only nuclear power to vote in favor. Seven countries, including China, Russia and North Korea, voted against the draft resolution. Twenty-five countries, including the US and France, abstained.

Japan's ambassador to the disarmament conference, Ichikawa Tomiko, said the importance of the non-proliferation treaty has been reaffirmed. She added that gaining the support of 150 members, including those of various positions, is encouraging for future nuclear disarmament efforts.