Japan has again omitted any reference to a landmark nuclear arms ban treaty, adopted last year, in its draft annual U.N. resolution calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons — despite falling support for its previous resolution.
The draft, submitted by Thursday's deadline, will be voted on next month before being passed to a vote at a General Assembly session in December.
As the only country ever to have suffered the devastation of atomic bombings, Japan has submitted nuclear disarmament resolutions for 25 consecutive years. Until last year, the document was backed by a wide majority of U.N. member states and generated little debate.