Japanese
Mr. AKIYAMA Ichiro, Visiting Researcher of the Research Institute for Peace and Security attending the meeting
Mr. AKIYAMA Ichiro, Visiting Researcher of the Research Institute for Peace and Security attending the meeting
Photo session
Photo session
Photo of the meeting
Photo of the meeting
On 6 March (local time), on the occasion of the 108th session of the Executive Council (EC) of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, the Netherlands, a joint Japan-US side event on chemical terrorism was held. The overview of the side event is as follows.
The side event was held on occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Aum Shinrikyo Tokyo sarin gas attack in March 1995, to raise awareness of the threat of chemical terrorism and to promote discussion in the international community on countering chemical terrorism. The side event was attended by H.E. Ambassador Fernando ARIAS, Director-General of the OPCW, and about 60 representatives of OPCW Member States, including the Chairperson of the EC, and staff of the OPCW Technical Secretariat.
The side event began with an explanation of the activities of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and concerned organisations in responding to the sarin gas attack on the underground, using footage from that time. Next, Mr. AKIYAMA Ichiro, Visiting Researcher of the Research Institute for Peace and Security, (former Director of the OPCW Inspectorate Division), gave an overview of the sarin gas attack and made recommendations on possible countermeasures against the threat of chemical terrorism by non-state actors and the role the OPCW might play in the future.
The audience actively asked questions and expressed their opinions, showing the high interest of the OPCW.