A meeting of an international forum launched by Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio to discuss nuclear disarmament will take place in Tokyo in April.
Japan's Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa made the announcement on Tuesday. He said the second meeting of the International Group of Eminent Persons for a World without Nuclear Weapons will be held on April 4 and 5.
Delegates from both nuclear powers and non-nuclear states, including Japan, the United States, Russia and China, are expected to take part in the meeting. Some will participate online.
Kishida aims to issue a strong message for achieving a nuclear-free world at the Group of Seven summit to be held in Hiroshima in May. Discussions at the upcoming meeting are expected to be held with an eye on the plan.
Foreign Minister Hayashi also said Japan will soon contribute 10 million dollars to the UN for a fund to invite young people outside Japan to the atomic-bombed cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It aims to give future leaders opportunities to learn what happens when nuclear weapons are used.
Prime Minister Kishida announced the plan to set up the fund last year.