Japan, 2000

First, I would like to

extend my heartfelt congratulations to you, Sir, a

former Prime Minister of the Republic of Finland, on

your assumption of the office of President of the

General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session.

I would also like to pay my respects to Mr. Theo-

Ben Gurirab, Foreign Minister of the Republic of

Namibia, for all his efforts during his tenure as

President of the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth

session.

It is also my great pleasure to welcome the

admission of Tuvalu as a new Member of the United

Nations.

Before proceeding to my main topic, I would like

to mention two important developments that took place

in the international community in recent months.

Concerning the situation on the Korean peninsula, the

recent inter-Korean summit was indeed epoch-making

and I strongly hope that this positive development will

continue, advance in the future and lead to peace and

stability in North-East Asia. With regard to the Middle

East peace process, Japan is very much encouraged by

the commitment of both parties to continuing their

negotiations and, together with the international

community, will strongly support the efforts of the

parties to achieve a lasting peace in the region.

In order to ensure that the twenty-first century is

truly a century of peace, it is of the greatest importance

that the international community make united efforts to

address the issues of disarmament and non-

proliferation.

In 1945, Hiroshima and Nagasaki became the first

two cities in human history to suffer indescribable

nuclear devastation. That experience is the starting

point of Japan's actions aimed at the realization of a

world free of nuclear weapons. With succeeding

generations in this half-century, the extremely shocking

experiences of Hiroshima and Nagasaki might very

well be pushed to the edge of our memory. In such

circumstances, new signs of proliferation of nuclear

weapons and missiles are arousing our concern. I

believe, however, that engraving the tragic experiences

of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in our minds is the first

step toward the creation of a world free from the

nuclear threat, which is one of the biggest challenges

facing the United Nations. In light of such experiences,

Japan has maintained the three non-nuclear principles

as its fundamental national policy and has focused

particular attention on nuclear issues. It will continue

to stress the importance of this issue.

Since the Second World War, we have adopted as

the basic ideas of our nation: democracy, commitment

to peace and respect for fundamental human rights,

which are enshrined in the Japanese Constitution.

Moreover, under its basic policy of not becoming a

military power, Japan has mobilized all its available

resources for the prosperity of its people and achieved

economic development. It hopes to utilize that

experience and make a further contribution to the

economic development and enhancement of the welfare

of developing countries.

Throughout my political career, I have been

deeply committed to nuclear disarmament and non-

proliferation issues. A senior politician for whom I

have great respect once told me with great fervour:

I hope that somebody among the peoples

of the world will take the lead in advocating

peace, and that all others will cooperate for that

cause, so that the earth will avoid a crisis. I

believe that Japan must play the role of that

somebody.

These words have become my political credo, as

well as the resolve of many Japanese people. When I

was Foreign Minister in 1994, Japan submitted to the

General Assembly for the first time a resolution

entitled Nuclear disarmament with a view to the

ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons (49/75 H),

which gained the support of an overwhelming majority

of Member States. Japan's support of the indefinite

extension of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of

Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in 1995 is attributed to the

strong will of the Japanese people. I highly appreciate

the final document adopted at the 2000 NPT Review

Conference this spring, since it contains practical steps

to be taken in the future in the fields of nuclear

disarmament and non-proliferation, including an

unequivocal undertaking to accomplish the total

elimination of nuclear arsenals. I also appreciate the

postponement by the United States Government of its

decision to deploy a national missile defence, as a

result of prudent consideration with an emphasis on

further dialogue on this important issue. Japan hopes

that this announcement will inspire a further deepening

of the discussion on issues surrounding national missile

defence. I hope other countries respond to this move by

taking actions to avoid a vicious circle of an arms race

and to create a beneficent circle toward nuclear

disarmament. The international community must

continue its efforts aimed at non-proliferation of

weapons of mass destruction and demand that the

nuclear weapon States further reduce their nuclear

arsenals. This will definitely require a further reduction

14

by the United States and Russia in their nuclear

weapons through the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks

(START), as well as efforts by other nuclear weapon

States, unilaterally or through their negotiations, to

reduce their nuclear arsenals. I also believe that we

must seriously consider what kind of practical paths we

should take to realize a world free from the fear of

nuclear weapons. A world free of nuclear weapons is

not a dream; it is within our reach.

To that end Japan will submit to this session of

the General Assembly a draft resolution on the

elimination of nuclear weapons, which sets forth a path

towards the realization of a world free of nuclear

weapons, while ensuring the non-proliferation of

weapons of mass-destruction. It does so through

measures such as the early entry into force of the

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and

the immediate commencement and early conclusion of

negotiations on the fissile material cut-off treaty, as

well as the promotion of the Strategic Arms Reduction

Treaty III negotiations, and through further, deeper

reductions at a later stage in nuclear arsenals, leading

in the final stage to total elimination. Japan expects

that this resolution will gain wide support from the

international community.

Further, I would like to point out the importance

of concluding negotiations on the protocol to the

Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) by the year

2001, and strengthening efforts to cope with missile

proliferation.

Now I would like to discuss international efforts

for conflict prevention. For the effective prevention of

conflicts, it is important to employ various policy

measures in a comprehensive and effective manner. As

Secretary-General Kofi Annan advocates, it is

incumbent upon the international community to nurture

a culture of prevention. The G-8 Miyazaki Initiatives

for Conflict Prevention, which was drawn up at the G-8

Foreign Ministers meeting in Miyazaki, over which I

presided, embodies this idea of a culture of

prevention.

On the issue of small arms and light weapons, in

which Japan has been actively engaged, the G-8

countries made clear for the first time that they will not

authorize the export of small arms if there is a clear

risk that these might be used for repression or

aggression against another country. I hope this

achievement will lead to the success of next summer's

United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small

Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. Moreover,

at Japan's initiative, a fund relating to small arms was

established at the United Nations this spring. The

purpose of this fund is to extend assistance for the

collection of small arms and the reintegration of ex-

combatants into civilian society.

Under the G-8 Miyazaki Initiatives for Conflict

Prevention, we will actively work to strengthen such

development assistance that contributes to preventing

the outbreak or recurrence of conflicts. For this

purpose, Japan will promote its collaboration with non-

governmental organizations by, for example, providing

assistance for their emergency humanitarian activities

and dispatching joint study missions for emergency

rehabilitation.

In recent years, United Nations peacekeeping

operations have had to be deployed more rapidly.

Moreover, as the examples of Kosovo and East Timor

have shown, peacekeeping operations are now required

to carry out diverse mandates that include humanitarian

assistance, emergency rehabilitation and even civil

administration. To make possible the rapid and

effective deployment of such peacekeeping operations,

strengthening the Secretariat's functions as well as

more, quick-response cooperation on the part of the

international community are all the more important.

Japan welcomes the report and recommendations by

the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations

established at the initiative of the Secretary-General.

The continued high toll in human life among

United Nations personnel taking part in peacekeeping

operations and humanitarian missions is a matter of

profound concern. Recently there was an unforgivable

militia attack on the local office of the United Nations

High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in West

Timor. Measures must be taken to ensure the safety of

United Nations personnel through close cooperation

between the United Nations, the country concerned,

and its neighbouring countries.

With regard to United Nations peace operations,

Japan intends to continue to do its best, including

personnel and financial contributions to peacekeeping

operations and assistance for emergency rehabilitation,

democratization and the establishment of legal

15

frameworks, as well as assistance to international

organizations.

Poverty reduction is a high-priority issue for the

leader of every country. Japan, consistently aware of

the importance of this issue, has been providing more

aid than any country in the world for nine consecutive

years, since 1991. Henceforth, considering what would

be most effective for the development of developing

countries, Japan will continue to make active efforts on

development issues in cooperation with those

countries. It accordingly intends to contribute towards

the success of the high-level international and

intergovernmental event on financing for development

expected to be held in 2001 under the aegis of the

United Nations and others.

Moreover, it is extremely valuable that

developing countries that have achieved certain levels

of development put their own experience and know-

how to use in providing assistance to other developing

countries. Japan, in collaboration with the United

Nations and other organizations, will strengthen its

endeavours for South-South cooperation.

Concerning Africa, where poverty is an especially

serious issue, Japan twice hosted the Tokyo

International Conference on African Development

(TICAD) in 1993 and 1998. It intends to continue to

actively cooperate for African development through the

TICAD process. Bearing in mind the possibility of also

hosting a third such conference, Japan is considering

holding a ministerial-level meeting before the end of

fiscal year 2001, and would like to ask for the

cooperation of the countries and organizations

concerned.

In April Japan hosted the second Japan-South

Pacific Forum summit meeting, at which it, together

with small island States burdened with geographically

disadvantageous conditions, put forward a common

vision and a course for mid- and long-term

cooperation. Moreover, this fall Japan will hold the

first ministerial-level conference with the countries of

the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). As for the

issue of sustainable development in landlocked States,

it is Japan's policy to extend active cooperation for the

improvement and development of their transportation

infrastructure, and other matters.

Regarding the debt problem of the heavily

indebted poor countries, Japan has decided to

contribute up to a total of $200 million to the Trust

Fund of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Debt

(HIPC) Initiative of the World Bank. It will continue to

make its utmost efforts for the speedy and effective

implementation of the enhanced HIPC Initiative, for

example, by extending technical assistance to heavily

indebted poor countries as they prepare their poverty-

reduction strategies.

As we enter the twenty-first century we are faced

with various issues, such as conflicts, poverty,

refugees, human rights violations, health, crime,

terrorism and environmental degradation. Also we need

to build communities in which the rights of women,

children and various vulnerable members of society are

protected, in which they can demonstrate their talents,

and in which all people can live together. In addressing

such issues, it is increasingly important from the

viewpoint of securing the existence, life and dignity of

each individual to strengthen efforts that place human

beings at the centre. This is the concept of human

security.

I would like first of all to touch upon the issue of

infectious diseases, which are not only a threat to the

life of the individual, but also a serious obstacle to

development and nation-building. Japan will extend

assistance to the efforts of developing countries to

combat infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria

and tuberculosis. It will also actively support the

activities of non-governmental organizations in

developing countries working in this area.

Moreover, Japan believes that the development of

a United Nations-centred legal framework for

combating transnational organized crime and terrorism

is urgently required.

Efforts to address global environmental issues are

becoming increasingly important from the viewpoint of

human security as well. Attaching greater importance

to development assistance that takes the environment

into consideration, Japan has allocated approximately

40 per cent of its official development assistance to

environmental cooperation. The primary tasks at this

moment on the environmental agenda are the success

of the sixth session of the Conference of the Parties to

the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate

Change and the entry into force no later than 2002 of

the Kyoto Protocol on global warming issues.

Concerning the Rio+10 event to be held in 2002,

Japan believes that an agenda looking to the future

should be set, taking into account the debates on the

16

effective implementation of many international

environmental conventions, as well as globalization

and the technological innovations that have occurred

since the Earth Summit in 1992. Mapping out strategies

to implement more effectively the large number of

environmental conventions concluded in recent years

will also be important. Japan strongly supports holding

the Rio+10 conference in Asia and welcomes

Indonesia's candidacy to host the conference.

Further endeavours must be made to solve the

problems confronting women, children and various

vulnerable members of society. Japan highly

appreciates efforts made in this regard by the United

Nations, including its convening in June of the special

session of the General Assembly entitled Women

2000: gender equality, development and peace for the

twenty-first century. Furthermore, Japan will host the

Second World Congress against Commercial Sexual

Exploitation of Children, and will advance its efforts

for the protection of the rights of the child.

I have touched upon only a limited part of the

efforts focusing upon human security. Japan has

contributed more than 9 billion yen well over $80

million to the human security fund that was

established at the United Nations last year, and in the

near future intends to make a further contribution of

approximately 10 billion yen ó or roughly $100

million to this fund. The fund has borne fruit in

assisting efforts particularly in such areas as post-

conflict emergency assistance and reconstruction,

health and medical care, and basic education. To

further develop and deepen the concept of human

security and to study ways to strengthen efforts in this

context, Japan intends to establish an international

committee on human security, with the participation of

leaders of opinion.

As I have stated, issues requiring action by the

international community are becoming ever more

diverse and complex. We must urgently strengthen the

United Nations system to enable it to deal with these

issues.

First of all, this requires, as a matter of urgency,

that the Security Council be re-created as a body that

reflects the tremendous changes in the international

community. At the Millennium Summit held last week

the representatives of approximately a hundred

Member States referred to this issue in their speeches

within the limited time. The Millennium Declaration,

expressing the determination to intensify our efforts to

achieve a comprehensive reform of the Security

Council, reflects the overall views of the heads of State

and Government of Member States. In particular, there

is a need for reform that reflects the views of

developing countries, which are playing an ever more

important role in the international community, and that

fosters the participation of those countries with the

capability to contribute to the solution of various issues

facing the developing countries.

I believe that both the representativeness and

effectiveness of the Security Council can be enhanced

through an expansion of both the permanent and non-

permanent membership, and the inclusion of both

developing and developed countries in the new

permanent membership. Although we have already

spent seven years discussing reform, during which

relevant aspects of the issue have been exhaustively

explored, we have yet to see the reform materialize.

Even during the discussions, conflicts have broken out,

and poverty is worsening in various parts of the world.

I would like to emphasize that the time has come to

seek a convergence of views among Member States on

the concrete form of Security Council reform.

Today the maintenance of international peace and

security requires action, not only in political and

security areas, but also in economic, social and various

other areas.

When the reform of the Security Council is

realized, Japan would like to assume a greater

responsibility as a permanent member of the Council,

mobilizing its capabilities and its experiences in

various areas, such as disarmament and non-

proliferation, development and human security, and

based upon the ideas which I have discussed today.

A prerequisite for the strengthening of United

Nations functions is securing a sound financial base. In

addition to streamlining as well as improving the

efficiency and transparency of United Nations finances,

achieving a balance in financial burden-sharing is

especially important. Today's financial burden sharing

cannot be considered to reflect the economic strength

of respective countries or their positions and

responsibilities within the United Nations. Japan would

like to appeal for its urgent revision. I strongly hope

that an agreement can be reached on a more equitable

scale of assessments for the regular budget at this

session, as an important step towards the establishment

17

of a more stable financial base. Moreover, I hope that

the substantive discussions for peacekeeping operations

budgets, which are rapidly increasing, will also be

conducted during this session and that a more equitable

scale of assessments for these budgets can be agreed.

As we welcome the twenty-first century, while

respecting diversity, we must transcend the differences

that arise out of our sense of belonging to an ethnic,

religious or cultural group. The foundation for these

endeavours is provided by international relationships

based on universal values common to all humankind,

such as democracy, human rights and freedom. The

United Nations must play a central role in our efforts to

construct such international relationships.

In order to achieve peace, we must engage in

dialogue with each other in a spirit of tolerance, and

join hands in tackling various challenges. At the United

Nations this year is designated the International Year

for the Culture of Peace, and next year, 2001, is

designated the United Nations Year of Dialogue

among Civilizations. These designations and the

implementation of related substantive activities reflect

a growing recognition of this idea.

As globalization progresses and economy-

oriented rationalism prevails, we should pay special

attention to the task of raising awareness of cultural

diversity, nurturing the special character of respective

countries and regions, and preserving historical and

cultural heritage. The United Nations Educational,

Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) should

play a central role in this regard. Every country should

recognize the role of UNESCO, and join together in

extending assistance to strengthen its activities.

I believe that this Millennium Assembly, which

began with the Millennium Summit, should be an

epochal starting point of meaningful progress in the

twenty-first century, both in consolidating our efforts to

tackle various challenges and in strengthening United

Nations functions through Security Council and

financial reform. Towards that end, I should like to

conclude by underscoring once again the growing

importance of cooperation among all Member States.