Beijing Urges Tokyo To Expedite Elimination Of Chemical Weapons Left In China

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th October, 2022) China has called on Japan to speed up the process of eliminating the chemical weapons it left in China during World War II, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Tan Kefei said on Thursday.

Earlier in October, the 101st session of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) approved a plan for the elimination of Japanese chemical weapons left in China.

"The Chinese side urges Japan to fully implement the plan for the elimination of chemical weapons left behind in China after 2022, to fulfill its political and legal obligations to the international community and China, to increase investment and accelerate this process, and to eliminate the danger which these chemical weapons represent, as soon as possible," Tan told a briefing, adding that the liquidation process is now seriously lagging behind schedule.

The approval of the plan by the OPCW Executive Council demonstrates the international community's increased attention and support regarding the issue, he added.

During World War II, Japan left about two million tons of munitions, including chemical ones, in the three northeastern Chinese provinces of Jilin, Liaoning, and Heilongjiang.

In 1999, the countries signed an agreement under which Tokyo had to remove all weapons by June 2007. Later, at the request of the Japanese government, this period was extended, since Japan was unable to meet the deadline specified by the convention.