China Urges Japan to Expedite Disposal of Abandoned Chemical Weapons

During a regular press conference on July 30, Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, addressed the 27th anniversary of the bilateral memorandum on the destruction of Japanese Abandoned Chemical Weapons (ACWs) in China. Reaffirming Beijing's longstanding position, the defense spokesperson called on Tokyo to accelerate its efforts in disposing of chemical munitions left behind from World War II.

The clearance of abandoned chemical weapons remains a sensitive historical, environmental, and security issue between China and Japan, directly linked to international disarmament commitments under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

During a regular press conference held on the afternoon of July 30, Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, addressed the ongoing efforts to destroy Japanese Abandoned Chemical Weapons (ACWs) in China. The conference coincided with the 27th anniversary of the signing of the memorandum between the governments of the People's Republic of China and Japan concerning the destruction of these weapons. In response to a journalist's query regarding the significance of the anniversary and China's repeated requests for accelerated action, Senior Colonel Jiang reiterated Beijing's expectation that Japan speed up the overall disposal process. The bilateral memorandum, signed 27 years ago, provides the primary operational and political framework for addressing the chemical weapons left on Chinese soil following the end of World War II. Under the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the 1999 bilateral memorandum, Japan bears the responsibility to provide all necessary funding, technical capabilities, specialized equipment, and personnel required for the clearance, excavation, transport, and safe destruction of the abandoned chemical munitions. The Chinese government, for its part, provides administrative, security, and logistical support to facilitate destruction activities across designated sites. The lingering presence of abandoned chemical weapons remains a critical concern for China due to potential environmental contamination and safety risks posed to local communities in regions where munitions remain buried or stored. China has consistently urged Japan to honor its legal obligations and political commitments under the convention and bilateral memorandum. By calling for an expedited timeline, Beijing emphasizes that Tokyo must allocate sufficient resources and intensify operational efforts to eliminate the hazards associated with these wartime legacy weapons as quickly as possible.