Japan, 1998

I should like to

extend my most sincere compliments to you, Sir, Foreign

Minister of Uruguay, on your assumption of office as

President of the fifty-third session of the General Assembly.

I should also like to express my respects to Mr. Hennadiy

Udovenko, Deputy of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine, for all

his efforts during his tenure as President of the fifty-second

session of the General Assembly.

How should we build the framework for a new

international order in the twenty-first century? This is the

question that our international community is facing amidst

new situations that were created in the aftermath of the

collapse of the cold war, almost a decade ago. That

collapse provided an opportunity to establish a harmonious

order based upon the cooperation of the entire international

community, rather than the maintenance of peace by a

military balance between two super-Powers. However, our

international community today is troubled with frequent

regional conflicts and challenged by the inseparably

connected problem of poverty. Creating a new system to

cope effectively with such challenges is the greatest agenda

for our international community today. To achieve this

objective, we must simultaneously promote three issues:

peace and development, which are two sides of the same

coin, plus United Nations reforms, which are indispensable

in our efforts to achieve the first two.

Today, the possibility of a world-wide conflict has

decreased in comparison to the cold-war era, but conflicts

arising from such causes as ethnic and religious

confrontation are increasing. In dealing with these

conflicts, it is more important to focus on how to prevent

them rather than on how to solve them once they break

out. In this regard, we must first consider the essential

issues of arms control and disarmament. The recent

nuclear tests of India and Pakistan constitute enormous

challenges to the non-proliferation regime. We urgently

need to find a way to prevent the proliferation of nuclear

weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, and to

strengthen the non-proliferation regime. Furthermore, it is

necessary to deal not only with the weapons of mass

destruction, such as nuclear, biological and chemical

weapons, but also with such conventional weapons as

small arms and anti-personnel landmines.

Social instabilities lie at the root of conflicts. This

makes it extremely important to deal with development

issues. There are also growing global threats, such as

environmental destruction and terrorism. The cruel

destructive power of terrorism especially threatens the

lives and safety of citizens. It is different by nature from

conventional armed conflict between nations, but in the

post-cold-war world it poses increasingly grave concerns

to our security. Our international community should

seriously consider ways to effectively cope with these

problems and threats.

Today, based on such thinking, I should like to

discuss these issues from the perspectives of peace and

development and of reform, which is indispensable in

promoting the first two. In so doing, I want to elaborate

on our thinking and express our determination to play a

leading role in fulfilling our responsibilities.

I should first like to talk about nuclear non-

proliferation, arms control and disarmament, which are

essential to maintaining peace. In May this year, India

and Pakistan conducted, to our deepest regret, a series of

nuclear tests, which are formidable challenges to the

nuclear non-proliferation regime. In seeking a world free

of nuclear weapons, it is indispensable that we allow no

further proliferation and secure a solid basis for the

nuclear non-proliferation regime. The existing format

certainly is not perfect, but there is no feasible, realistic

alternative if we are to ensure stability in our international

community. No country should be allowed to attempt to

set back international efforts towards strengthening the

non-proliferation regime. At the same time, to improve

the effectiveness of this regime, it is important, together

with the efforts by all nations to maintain non-

proliferation, to see sincere implementation of nuclear

16

disarmament by nuclear-weapon States. Based on this

thinking, we regard the following five points as important.

First, the nuclear non-proliferation regime should

become more universal. The Treaty on the Non-

Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) sets the structure

for international control of nuclear weapons, with no

alternative, and we strongly urge non-parties to accede to

this Treaty promptly and without condition. In this context,

we highly appreciate Brazilâs accession to the NPT in

August this year.

Secondly, in order to complement the NPT and ensure

nuclear non-proliferation, I should like to underline the

need to place strict export controls on equipment, materials

and technologies that relate to nuclear weapons and

missiles. We urge every nation to engage in serious efforts

to prevent any transfer of such materials and technologies.

Thirdly, we must prevent any further nuclear testing.

Without universal support for the Comprehensive Nuclear-

Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the effectiveness of the nuclear

non-proliferation system cannot be maintained. I should like

to call on nations that have not yet done so to promptly

become parties to this Treaty so as to realize its early

effectuation. In the meantime, we should take necessary

steps to assure the cessation of nuclear testing.

Fourthly, further advancement of nuclear disarmament

by nuclear-weapon States is more important than ever in

maintaining and strengthening various efforts for nuclear

non-proliferation. We hope to see early effectuation of

START II and an early launching of negotiations on

START III. Also, we welcome such actions as the decision

by the British Government in July this year for a significant

reduction of their nuclear arsenals, as well as Franceâs

decision to dismantle its ground-to-ground missiles. We

urge all the nuclear-weapon States to implement sincerely

their obligations under article 6 of the NPT, thereby

promoting nuclear disarmament even further.

Fifthly, to put a cap on nuclear-weapons capability,

each nation must positively participate in and reach an early

conclusion of negotiations on a fissile material cut-off

treaty.

During this session of the General Assembly, Japan

will take initiatives to promote these five objectives.

Needless to say, the promotion of arms control and

disarmament should not be limited to the area of nuclear

weapons. Dealing with other weapons of mass destruction,

such as biological and chemical weapons, as well as

delivery vehicles, such as missiles, is of high importance.

The recent missile launch by North Korea, even if it was

an attempt to launch a satellite into orbit, poses a serious

problem which directly concerns both Japanâs national

security and peace and stability in North-East Asia. It also

constitutes a challenge to our efforts to prevent the

proliferation of delivery vehicles of weapons of mass

destruction. I renew my call for North Korea to consider

seriously the 15 September statement by the President of

the Security Council as a message reflecting the views of

the entire international community, and to never repeat

such an act.

Furthermore, to prevent the outbreak and escalation

of conflicts, we also need to address the problems of anti-

personnel landmines and small arms, including automatic

rifles, regarding which we have yet to make sufficient

efforts. We intend to continue to play a leading role on

these issues. In particular, in the area of anti-personnel

landmines we will endeavour to strengthen international

cooperation towards early realization of the “zero victim”

objective, by supporting assistance for victims and the

elimination of landmines. We are pleased that 40

countries have now ratified the Convention banning anti-

personnel landmines and that it will enter into force on 1

March next year. We are now making efforts for Japanâs

earliest possible ratification of this Convention. We ask

other nations yet to ratify it to do so promptly, so that it

may become a universal framework to ban anti-personnel

landmines totally.

Conflicts give rise to intolerable crimes against

humanity, such as genocide. To deter such crimes, it is

necessary to establish a permanent international court that

punishes such acts as international crimes. Adoption of

the agreement in July this year in Rome to establish such

a court was an act of historic significance. Japan believes

that the blessing and cooperation of the entire

international community is indispensable if the court is to

produce effective results. That is why we took important

initiatives at the Diplomatic Conference. It is our hope

that the International Criminal Court will continue to

grow and become a universal framework.

In our efforts towards peace, with civilian staff

assuming an increasing role in United Nations activities,

including peacekeeping, we observe with regret an

increasing number of cases where non-combatants become

the targets of violence by belligerents. In July this year,

a staff member from Japan, together with staff members

from Poland, Tajikistan and Uruguay, fell victim to a

17

despicable criminal act directed at the United Nations

Mission of Observers in Tajikistan. The countries concerned

and the United Nations need to seriously examine ways to

ensure the security of United Nations personnel and of

relevant humanitarian-assistance organizations. In this

regard, we reiterate our call upon nations that have not yet

done so to join the Convention on the Safety of United

Nations and Associated Personnel, adopted in December

1994, so that it may come into force as soon as possible. At

the same time, Japan will also make contributions of about

$1 million to the United Nations to support security

measures for United Nations personnel. We hope many

other countries will also make contributions to support

United Nations efforts in this field.

Some of the basic causes of conflicts are problems of

economic and social development. We must pay close

attention to them. During the Tokyo International

Conference on Preventive Strategy, which Japan hosted this

January, participants underlined the importance of a

comprehensive approach in dealing with such problems by

coming to grips with various causes of them, including

poverty.

The development issue is the greatest challenge the

world will face in the twenty-first century. In addressing

this issue, we have to deal not only with the economic-

development problems of the developing countries, but also

with the social sides of development, such as human rights

and good governance.

Japan has been advocating a new development strategy

that contains such ideas. We are pleased that the concept

was endorsed in 1996 at the Organization for Economic

Cooperation and Development and has been gaining support

in the United Nations. This strategy is based on the

philosophy that the international community should make

no distinction between donor countries and recipient

countries and should tackle the problems of development as

a common issue for all. In this regard, this strategy attaches

great importance to developing countriesâ playing an active

and responsible role in their own development. It also

emphasizes positive cooperation based on partnership

without distinction between developing and developed

countries. These are the guiding principles of the new

development strategy.

On the basis of these principles, the Second Tokyo

International Conference on African Development

(TICAD II) will be held in Japan this October as a follow-

up to the first Conference, held in 1993. Its objective is to

seek a path to promote the new development strategy in

Africa so as to support African countriesâ own nation-

building efforts. In this regard, we aim to draw up an

agenda for action.

Japan also has been making the greatest

contributions possible to the stable development of Asia.

In the present financial and economic crisis we have

taken initiatives to implement measures of support

totalling about $43 billion to Asian countries, which is the

largest single contribution by any nation in the world.

Simultaneously, Japan is making every possible effort,

through such measures as stabilizing our financial system,

to put our own economy on a recovery track within the

next year or two. We believe that the early recovery of

our own economy is the best contribution we can make to

the economies of Asia and of the world. We hope

strongly that the coming conference, TICAD II, will

benefit from such Asian experiences and provide a good

opportunity to use the wisdom and power of the entire

international community to assist the development of the

African continent.

In the post-cold-war transformation of international

relations, Japan is actively promoting what we call

Eurasian diplomacy. This means redefining relations with

countries of the Eurasian continent, including the Russian

Federation, the Peopleâs Republic of China, the Republic

of Korea and countries in the Silk Road regions of

Central Asia and the Caucasus range. This is another

example of Japanâs policy of promoting peace and

development in tandem.

In todayâs world, problems that directly threaten

peopleâs daily lives across national borders are becoming

increasingly serious. These include environmental

destruction, overpopulation, human rights violations, the

exodus of refugees, terrorism, drug-trafficking,

international organized crime and global diseases such as

AIDS. To cope with these problems, our international

community must be united under the concept of

protecting the security and dignity of mankind from

global threats. Furthermore, citizens, along with

Governments, must get together to engage in common

undertakings, such as making common rules. In particular,

as we mark the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I should like to

point out that efforts against large-scale human rights

violations and efforts to ease refugee problems arising

from conflicts are also indispensable for preventing

conflicts.

18

In addressing issues of peace and development, there

is an urgent need to reform the United Nations and to

strengthen its functions. Peace and development are two

sides of the same coin. At the same time, if the United

Nations is to respond effectively to various problems that

our international community shoulders, we urgently need to

do our best to assure a healthy financial basis. This includes

each Member Stateâs sincere implementation of its

obligation to pay its assessed contribution. Japanâs

assessment will be over 20 per cent, exceeding the sum of

that of four permanent members of the Security Council,

not including the United States. In this situation, reform in

the financial area requires serious attention. In reforming

the United Nations to strengthen its functioning, we must

promote reforms in three interrelated areas in a balanced

manner: reform in the political area, the development area,

and the financial area, which supports political and

development activities.

It is regrettable that even though the chances of

materializing reforms increased during last yearâs General

Assembly session, discussions on the reform of the Security

Council have not developed since then. Under the

circumstances facing the international community I

mentioned earlier, reforming the Security Council to

reinforce its legitimacy and effectiveness is an urgent task.

Japan, with the endorsement of many countries, is prepared

to assume greater responsibilities as a permanent member

of the Security Council. This would be in accordance with

our basic philosophy of non-resort to the use of force

prohibited by our Constitution. We are now in the fifth year

since the concrete discussions on the reform of the Security

Council started. Points of argument have been exhausted.

We are now at a stage where each country should make a

political decision. Japan believes that we are able to agree

on a package that responds to the interests of the entire

international community and to the legitimate concerns of

the majority of countries. If we do not have the will to

decide and act in order to achieve an agreement on such a

package, we will not be able to respond effectively to

challenges the international community will face in the

coming century. Japan strongly urges all countries to make

a bold political decision for the strengthening of the United

Nations so that we may reach an agreement on the

framework of the reform during the present session of the

General Assembly.

The twenty-first century is just around the corner. It is

our duty to preserve and develop the heritage of mankind

in the coming century. The late professor, Mr. Yutaka

Akino, who gave his life during his mission of

peacekeeping in Tajikistan, was one of my close friends.

He had the following motto: do not be pushed around by

events; take action. Along the same lines, the United

Nations should make action a top priority and become a

strong Organization equipped with both effectiveness and

credibility, squarely tackling all problems. We the

Member States should make utmost efforts to achieve it,

so that the United Nations can enter the twenty-first

century as such an Organization. The future of the United

Nations is in the hands of the Member States. My guiding

principle in Japanâs policy management is to be sincere,

to be steady and to be courageously prompt. I therefore

should like to conclude my remarks by emphasizing my

resolution to take leadership in addressing issues of peace,

development and reform in a sincere, steady and

courageously prompt manner.