Asahi wrote that Japan and other nations called for the early ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) during a ministerial meeting held in Vienna on Monday to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the treaty at the UN. Senior Vice Foreign Minister Kihara said at the meeting that the international community’s strong criticism of nuclear tests by North Korea has proven the importance of the CTBT’s role of establishing universal norms against nuclear tests. To take effect, the CTBT must be ratified by all 44 countries that possess nuclear power or research reactors. However, eight of those nations, including the U.S. and North Korea, have yet to ratify it. Mainichi ran a similar Kyodo story quoting Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Gottemoeller as reading President Obama’s message saying that effectuation of the CTBT is an important step toward nuclear disarmament.