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Japan

HAS ENDORSED THE POLITICAL DECLARATION

Japan was actively involved in the process to develop a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas and was among the first group of states to endorse the Political Declaration in Dublin in November 2022. During the consultations Japan expressed its concern with the indiscriminate use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas and said the reverberating effects of use of explosive weapons in populated areas are detrimental from a humanitarian perspective. 1 Japan also repeatedly referenced the importance of International Humanitarian Law (IHL); arguing that what was needed is full implementation of existing IHL and the compliance of non-state actors. 2 Japan also argued that explosive weapons can be used in full compliance with international and national laws and regulations, and that care must be taken to avoid stigmatising explosive weapons, so long as they are used in compliance with international norms. 3  

During the final consultation in June 2022, Japan reaffirmed the need for compliance with IHL in order to strengthen the protection of civilians in armed conflict. It said that the final draft was well balanced by pointing out that use of explosive weapons is not itself subject to prohibition, while confirming the obligation under IHL and stating the importance of compliance with such obligations. 4 At the signing ceremony of the Declaration in November 2022 in Dublin, Japan said that the Declaration will promote practical and realistic measures to protect civilians. Japan also said that together with other states, international organisations, and civil society, it will continue to contribute to international efforts to mitigate harm to civilians. 5 

Statements and positions

Japan attended the first international implementation conference on the Political Declaration in Oslo, Norway in April 2024, and the second implementation conference in San Jose, Costa Rica in November 2025. In its statement, Japan stated that the Political Declaration “is about reconfirming the principles of IHL and to promote practical and concrete measures on those principles for the protection of civilians in armed conflict.” It called on all to act in compliance with international humanitarian law “through the implementation of the Political Declaration, ensuring humanitarian assistance, and providing international assistance after conflict.” 6

Japan has several times spoken on explosive weapons in populated areas in multilateral forums. In 2014, Japan condemned the use of explosive weapons in populated areas during the UN Security Council open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, calling on the Security Council to address the use of explosive weapons in populated areas by seriously taking into account testimony from affected areas. 7 Japan delivered a similar statement during the June 2012 Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, expressing its concern at the grave humanitarian impact of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. 8 

Alongside its individual statements, Japan has repeatedly aligned with other states to deliver statements on explosive weapons in populated areas. In recent years, as a member of the Group of Friends on Protection of Civilians, Japan has supported statements at the UN Security Council stressing the importance of respecting IHL and the need to enhance the protection of civilians. 9 At the UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians on 25 May 2022, the Group of Friends of the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict (of which Japan is a member) stressed the importance of respecting IHL and the need to enhance the protection of civilians, including from the humanitarian impacts that could arise when explosive weapons are used in populated areas. It also took note of the ongoing consultations led by Ireland. 10 The Group has also positively noted the adoption of the Political Declaration. 11 At the same debate in 2024, the Group highlighted the harm caused by explosive weapons in populated areas across ongoing conflicts and stressed that “the effective protection of civilians and civilian objects must be made a strategic priority in the planning and conduct of military operations.” To that end, the Political Declaration was identified as providing “practical tools that ensure that protection is real and effective”, a sentiment the Group echoed at the 2025 debate where it flagged the Political Declaration as a tool that “plays a critical role in the protection of civilians” and encouraged states to consider endorsing. 12 At the 2022 UN Security Council Open Debate on war in cities, the Group of Friends called on states to enhance the protection of civilians, including from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, and took note of the ongoing consultations to develop a Political Declaration on this subject. 13  

Implementation of the Political Declaration

In February 2024, INEW and EWM conducted a survey into endorser states' national efforts to disseminate and implement the Political Declaration; and in May 2025 EWM conducted a second survey. 14 Responding to the surveys, Japan reported that it has designated a focal point for overseeing efforts to implement the Declaration within the Conventional Arms Division within the Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Science Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and that the Declaration has been disseminated within government ministries and to wider stakeholders. 15

Japan also reported that it provides IHL training across all Self-Defence Force units and schools, and in air operations trained legal officers advise commanders to ensure that the use of explosive weapons complies fully with IHL. It considers its existing laws and regulations sufficient to comply with IHL and therefore does “not believe there is a need to review existing laws and regulations to meet the commitments under the Declaration”, nor has it adopted explicit policies restricting the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. 16 It reported that operational decisions are made case by case by commanders to suspend or restrict attacks, guided by rules of engagement to minimise civilian harm within the scope of ongoing military operations. Japan also reported that it collects data about the effects of explosions during the development and acquisition of weapons and integrates it into existing data from past conflicts to refine training and ensure compliance with IHL. 17

  1. Acheson, R. 2020. ‘Impacts, not intentionality: the imperative of focusing on the effects of explosive weapons in a Political Declaration’. Reaching Critical Will. 14 February 2020. https://reachingcriticalwill.org/news/latest-news/14658-impacts-not-intentionality-the-imperative-of-focusing-on-the-effects-of-explosive-weapons-in-a-political-declaration.  

  1. Ibid.  

  1. Rafferty, J., Geyer, K., Acheson, R., 2021. ‘Report on the March 2021 consultations on a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas’. Reaching Critical Will. 21 March 2021. https://reachingcriticalwill.org/news/latest-news/15213-report-on-the-march-2021-consultations-on-a-political-declaration-on-the-use-of-explosive-weapons-in-populated-areas; Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. ‘Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas – Political Declaration Consultations, Day 1 Afternoon’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPllKWRMlNg.  

  1. Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. ‘Watch Back: Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas: Consultations – Morning’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6kJVfHdXSc.  

  1. ‘Statement of Yoshikawa Yuumi, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan’. Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. 18 November 2022. https://www.dfa.ie/media/dfa/ourrolepolicies/peaceandsecurity/ewipa/Japan.pdf.  

  1. ‘Statement delivered by Mr. Shigeru UMETSU Minister-Counsellor, Deputy Permanent Representative Delegation of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament 1st international follow-up conference to the EWIPA Political Declaration’ 23 April 2024, https://cms.ewipa.org/uploads/Japan_Session_3_e5b0e1de39.pdf.  

  1. United Nations Security Council. S/PV.7109. 12 February 2014. https://undocs.org/en/S/PV.7109.  

  1. United Nations Security Council. S/PV.6790. 25 June 2012. https://undocs.org/en/S/PV.6790(Resumption1).  

  1. United Nations Security Council. S/PV.9042. 25 May 2022.https://undocs.org/en/S/PV.9042(Resumption1).   

  1. Acheson, R. 2022. ‘UN Security Council Debates War in Cities and the Protection of Civilians.’ Reaching Critical Will, 28 January 2022. https://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/news/latest-news/16009-un-security-council-debates-war-in-cities-and-the-protection-of-civilians.  

  1. United Nations Security Council. S/PV.9327. 23 May 2023. https://undocs.org/en/S/PV.9327(Resumption1).  

  1. United Nations Security Council. S/PV.9632 (Resumption 1). 21 May 2024.  hhttps://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/pro/n24/140/54/pdf/n2414054.pdf.  

  1. Acheson, R. 2022. ‘UN Security Council Debates War in Cities and the Protection of Civilians.’ Reaching Critical Will, 28 January 2022. https://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/news/latest-news/16009-un-security-council-debates-war-in-cities-and-the-protection-of-civilians. 

  2. To view all responses to the state surveys, see the Explosive Weapons Monitor 2023, Chapter III on Universalisation and Implementation of the Political Declaration and EWMs Assessment of Implementation of the Declaration (2025).

  3. EWM. ‘An Assessment of Implementation of the Political Declaration on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas: Briefing Paper’. November 2025. https://explosiveweaponsmonitor.org/reports/8/an-assessment-of-implementation-of-the-political-declaration/; and Japan’s response to INEW’s State Survey on the Implementation of the Political Declaration, April 2024. Available in the ‘Explosive Weapons Monitor 2023’. https://www.explosiveweaponsmonitor.org/2023.

  4. Ibid.

  5. Ibid.

Other State Positions