Kishida Pushes CTBT for Nuke-Free World

Tokyo, Jan. 19 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday pointed to the significance of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty to realize a world without nuclear weapons.

"I place great importance on promoting the entry into force of the CTBT, in a bid to bring the reality of this severe security environment closer to the ideal of a world without nuclear weapons," Kishida said at a meeting with Robert Floyd, executive secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization.

Kishida stressed that he wants to send a strong message toward realizing a world without nuclear weapons at a Group of Seven summit to be held in the western Japan city of Hiroshima in May.

The prime minister also said that Japan aims to work closely with the Preparatory Commission in dealing with North Korea's nuclear and missile development.

Over the CTBT, the first summit-level meeting among like-minded countries took place in New York in September last year.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]