Washington. January 21. INTERFAX - The Japanese side welcomes the extension by Russia and the United States of the Treaty on Measures for Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (START-3), and also advocates that the parties continue the dialogue on strategic stability, Japan and the United States said in a joint statement.
"Japan welcomes the extension of the START treaty and hopes for the development of a dialogue on strategic stability between the United States and Russia," the text of the Japanese-American statement on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), distributed by the State Department, emphasizes.
At the same time, the parties noted that they are in favor of "taking arms control measures in the future with the participation of other countries and a wider range of weapons systems."
They stated that against the background of China's nuclear buildup, "they ask the PRC to contribute to measures aimed at reducing nuclear risks, increasing transparency and promoting nuclear disarmament."
The document says that Japan and the United States insist on dismantling all of North Korea's nuclear weapons, its ballistic missiles, as well as related programs and facilities.
They also stressed that they support the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian atom and the ongoing negotiations in Vienna to return to compliance with the JCPOA obligations, and called on Iran to "stop nuclear escalation."
Both States stated that they "recognize the NPT as a necessary condition for preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and achieving their complete elimination," and also that they support the objectivity, professionalism and independence of the IAEA.