Index

(provisional translation of press briefing material)

Technology Study Group for the Destruction of Abandoned Chemical Weapons

April 24, 1998,
Abandoned Chemical Weapons Coordination Division
Councilors' Office on External Affairs
Cabinet Secretariat

1. Background

The Government of Japan has been making efforts to solve the issue of abandoned chemical weapons by setting up the Abandoned Chemical Weapons Coordination Council (hereafter called the Coordination Council) in August 1997 following the Cabinet approval. The Council recently decided to establish the Technology Study Group for the Destruction of Abandoned Chemical Weapons (hereafter called the Technology Study Group).

The Technology Study Group was established to cope with the necessities of undertaking, at an earliest juncture, an evaluation study of technologies for destruction of abandoned chemical weapons, conducting a technical, professional and inter-disciplinary research in a field where Japan has no experience, and ensuring a fair and transparent process for both domestic and foreign private enterprises interested in this issue.

2. Outline of the Technology Study Group

The Technology Study Group, chaired by the Director General of the Abandoned Chemical Weapons Coordination Division, consists of 11 members including 10 technological experts in the related fields, as attached.

The objective of the Technology Study Group is to evaluate, from technological professionals' viewpoints, various technologies owned by private enterprises for the destruction of abandoned chemical weapons, and eventually present the Group's view to the Coordination Council. The Coordination Council will, then, decide, based on the Technology Study Group's view, on the evaluation of technologies from a comprehensive viewpoint taking into account such factors as executive and foreign policy standpoints.

3. Schedule

The first meeting of the Technology Study Group is planned for May 1st, 1998.

The Technology Study Group will thereafter hold several meetings with the objective of presenting its evaluation regarding the selection of a small number of technologies by next spring.

The Abandoned Chemical Weapons Coordination Division will provide, in principle, briefings to the press as well as to the interested private enterprises after each Group's meeting so as to ensure fairness and transparency of the entire study process.


Members of the Technology Study Group for Destruction of Abandoned Chemical Weapons
Chairperson
Seigi HINATA
Director General, Abandoned Chemical Weapons Coordination Division
Councilors' Office on External Affairs, Cabinet Secretariat
Members
Tomie AMARI
Former Commandant of the Chemical School, Ground Self Defense Force
Yuji ENOMOTO
Director, Basic Technology Department
Mechanical Engineering Laboratory
Shigeji KOSHI
Technical Adviser, Technical Department
Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association
Hiroaki SHIRAISHI
Section Head, Analytical Quality Assurance Section
National Institute for Environmental Studies
Masaru TANAKA
Director, Department of Waste Management Engineering
Institute of Public Health
Mitsugu TANAKA
Director, Department of Decommissioning & Waste Management
Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute
Shoji NAKAHARA
Lecturer of Kantogakuin University
Former Professor of the National Defense Academy
Shuzo FUJIWARA
Director, Advanced Chemical Technology Department
National Institute of Materials and Chemical Research
Kouichi MIZUNO
Director, Environmental Assessment Department
National Institute for Resources and Environment
Masatoshi MORITA
Director, Regional Environment Division
National Institute for Environmental Studies