Japan rejects United Nations treaty banning nuclear weapons

With more than 50 countries ratifying a United Nations treaty that bans nuclear weapons, Japan announced Monday that it will not sign onto the new treaty, rejecting atomic bomb survivors' wishes in Japan to work toward a nuclear-free world.

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is strongly opposed by the United States and other nuclear powerhouse countries. The United Nations confirmed that the treaty will go into effect in 90 days.

Katsunobu Kato, Japan’s chief Cabinet secretary, says that the country supports the goal of a nuclear-free world, but does not think the treaty is the way to go. 

“Japan’s approach is different from that of the treaty, and there is no change to our position not to sign it, as we have said,” Kato said Monday. “We doubt if support is growing even among non-nuclear weapons states, let alone nuclear weapons states.”

 Although Japan has not signed the treaty, it is the only country in the world to have suffered nuclear attacks. The island nation also do not possess, produce or host any kind of nuclear weapons. However it does host 50,000 American troops, which serves as protection by the U.S. nuclear control.

The U.S. has urged signatories to rescind their support from the treaty, saying they “stand unified in our opposition to the potential repercussions” of the treaty along with Britain, China, France and Russia.