Japan to dispose of cluster bombs 3.5 years earlier than deadline
News On Japan via Mainichi -- Oct 09
Japan will dispose of its stockpiles of cluster bombs by early 2015 -- three and a half years earlier than the internationally-imposed deadline -- a move that could help boost momentum for the international community to press for the complete elimination of the banned weapons, it has been learned.
If Japan were to completely dispose of its cluster bombs ahead of the original schedule, it would outpace Germany and France. Japan will ship its stockpiles of cluster bombs to Norway and Germany to have the munitions destroyed there.
【ブリュッセル斎藤義彦】日本政府が保有するクラスター爆弾を期限より３年半早く、独仏に先駆け、１５年初めに前倒し廃棄することがわかった。来年からノルウェーとドイツに保有弾を移して破壊処理する。クラスター爆弾禁止条約の批准国で８年以内の廃棄義務を負う国は１９あり、技術や資金面で廃棄作業が滞る国もある。日本の前倒し方針は、完全廃棄に向けた国際世論を加速しそうだ。
Source: Mainichi
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