100 Stories2000 The Ottawa Treaty and Land Release

The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (Ottawa Treaty) was concluded in 1997. The Ottawa Treaty is an international treaty with 164 state parties as of December 2020.

It prohibits any action regarding anti-personnel mines, including their use, production, and transfer. In addition, it promotes the removal of anti-personnel mines and support to landmine victims. There were approximately 160 million anti-personnel mines across the globe when the treaty entered into force in 1999, but they were decreased to approximately 50 million in 2017. However, there remain many issues, including the nonparticipation of major counties, such as the U.S., Russia, and China.

Japan signed the treaty and was therefore required to dispose of the approximately one million anti-personnel mines that it had within four years. To do so, the Japan Defense Agency organized a selective bidding event for the destruction and disposal of the anti-personnel mines. Asahi Kasei took on this mission along with the NOF Corporation and Nippon Koki.

The Explosives Division was highly valued for its long-held techniques for manufacturing and handling explosives, such as explosion bonding, a technique for welding different types of metal together with the power generated from the explosion of gunpowder. This anti-personnel mine disposal project was considered an international peace operation, and Asahi Kasei playing a role in it was of great significance.

Before the process of detonating the mines began, a ceremony for announcing and explaining the detonation of the anti-personnel mines was held on 17 January, 2000 at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force Aibano Sub Base next to the Aibano Training Area in Shin Asahi-cho, Shiga Prefecture. It was a grand event attended by Keizo Obuchi, the prime minister at the time. The explosion of approximately 1000 anti-personnel mines was displayed in real-time on two large screens installed at the venue.

As a result, Asahi Kasei’s technical abilities, the Explosives Division’s concept of safety and security, and the information disclosure approach taken by Asahi Kasei and the Japan Defense Agency were highly valued.

After about three years, a ceremony was held to announce the completion of the mine disposal when the project was finally over. Junichiro Koizumi, who had then become Prime Minister, attended this ceremony and it ended in great success.

After the ceremony, the All-Japan Children Summit was held under the “Get rid of mines” slogan, expanding the scope of the activities to elementary and middle school students. Nobuaki Sakuma, the manager of the Oita Plant who was engaged in these activities said, “This mine disposal project truly demonstrated our corporate philosophy of contributing to people’s lives.”