Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has condemned Russia for blocking the adoption of the final document draft at the monthlong Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference at the United Nations, but has also stressed that all participating nations except Russia showed a certain degree of solidarity.
"Russia was the only country that blocked the adoption. This proved that many countries share the recognition that maintaining and strengthening the NPT serves the interests of the international community as a whole," Kishida said Saturday, speaking virtually to reporters from his official residence in Tokyo as he recovers from being infected with the novel coronavirus.
"The blame for the failure to reach a consensus should be placed on Russia, not on how the NPT itself works," Kishida said.