July 29, 1998

1. Japan heartily welcomes the fact that the Additional Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons , annexed to the Convention on Prohibition or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects (CCW), will enter into force on July 30. This protocol has great significance as part of the international efforts to prohibit the use of inhumane conventional weapons.

2. Making every effort in formulating this protocol with the other countries concerned, Japan took the lead in concluding it on July 10 last year, as the seventh high contracting party to the protocol. Japan intends to continue its efforts to make this protocol more universal and effective by, for example, seeking to persuade other countries to ratify it.

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