On Aug. 6, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with representatives and others of A-bomb survivors’ groups in Hiroshima. In response to the call to sign and ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the prime minister only said, “Japan will endeavor to bridge the gap among countries with different stances on the issue.” In this way, Prime Minister Abe expressed a cautious stance on signing the treaty.

“I value the goal of the treaty, which is the abolition of nuclear weapons,” said the prime minister. Bearing in mind, however, that nuclear powers have not signed the treaty, the premier added: “There is a widening gap among nuclear countries regarding their views on disarmament. We need to patiently continue urging nations to build common ground.”