Prime Minister Ishiba Plans to Allow LDP Participation in Conference on Nuclear Weapon Prohibition; No Govt Delegation

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:06 JST, January 26, 2025

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has begun considerations to send Liberal Democratic Party Diet members to attend a conference of signatories of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons to be held in the United States in March, according to Japanese government sources.

Ishiba, also the LDP president, has already determined that an official government delegation will not be sent to the conference as an observer country.

The decision is based on the prime minister’s recognition of the importance of deterrence supported by the United States’ nuclear umbrella. Ishiba will thus not send an official delegation to the conference of the treaty prohibiting the development and use of nuclear weapons.

However, the prime minister expects close attention will be paid to the Japanese government’s response because this year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, considering Japan is the only country in the world to have experienced atomic bombings.

Ishiba, therefore, aims to demonstrate to the international community Japan’s willingness to eliminate nuclear weapons by allowing the LDP to participate in the conference.

It has been discussed within the party that at least one LDP lawmaker elected from Hiroshima Prefecture, which was hit by an atomic bomb, will be sent to the conference.

Komeito has sent lawmakers to events related to the conference twice in the past and aims to do so again in this conference.