Japan, 2004

Today, the international

community is striving to meet challenges that the

founders of the United Nations could not have

envisioned sixty years ago. The fight against terrorism

and efforts to ensure non-proliferation of weapons of

mass destruction are just a few examples of those

challenges.

Japan has always pursued international

cooperation centring on the United Nations. As the

international community faces new realities, the United

Nations must adapt and address them.

The United Nations was created to bring about a

peaceful, prosperous, and just world. To that end,

Member States have united their strengths to promote

international cooperation. Convinced that it can

contribute to creating a better world through its own

capabilities, Japan has endeavoured steadfastly to fulfil

its role as a responsible United Nations Member. Our

activities in Iraq and Afghanistan offer excellent

examples.

In Iraq, based on the relevant Security Council

resolutions, Japan has joined international efforts to

assist in the Iraqi people's own struggle towards a

democratic and prosperous nation. Japan has been

cooperating with the Iraqi people to help them improve

their daily life and rebuild the foundation of their

public life.

The humanitarian and reconstruction activities of

Japanís Self-Defence Forces and its financial

assistance of $5 billion are working in tandem to that

end. In order to promote international solidarity, Japan

will host the third Meeting of the Donorsí Committee

of the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for

Iraq next month.

In Afghanistan, Japan has from the very

beginning taken the lead in assisting national

reconstruction efforts. Japan hosted the International

Conference on Reconstruction Assistance to

Afghanistan in January 2002. Japan has been actively

promoting Afghan efforts for disarmament,

demobilization and reintegration. The Afghan people

are working hard to prepare for presidential as well as

parliamentary elections. Those elections are the most

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important milestones for a new, democratic

Afghanistan.

The international community and the United

Nations must stand by the Afghan and Iraqi peoples in

their strenuous efforts to rebuild their countries.

Weapons of mass destruction, missiles and

terrorism threaten international security in todayís

world. Japan is the only country ever to have suffered

nuclear devastation. As such, Japan has been at the

forefront in promoting nuclear disarmament and non-

proliferation. Japan hopes to achieve a peaceful and

safe world free of nuclear weapons. Furthermore,

Japan has collaborated with other countries to prevent

States of concern and non-State actors from acquiring

weapons of mass destruction.

We must allow no room for terrorism to prevail.

In the fight against terrorism, Japan is doing its utmost

to strengthen domestic legislation and related

measures, and will continue to cooperate with other

countries.

The nuclear and missile issues on the Korean

peninsula present a serious challenge to the peace and

stability of north-east Asia and to the international

community as a whole. Japan is determined to continue

to seek a comprehensive resolution of the nuclear and

missile issues and the abduction issue in line with the

Pyongyang Declaration. The six-party talks must go

forward. The benefit that the Democratic Peopleís

Republic of Korea would receive by resolving those

issues would be substantial. There is no benefit for it in

continuing to pursue its nuclear programme.

After the Second World War, Japan experienced a

dramatic economic recovery, with the help of the

international community. On the basis of our own

experience, we are keenly aware that, in promoting

international cooperation, self-help efforts are essential

to overcoming difficulties and achieving a prosperous

society. Japanís official development assistance

therefore has been based on the principles of ownership

and partnership.

Environmental conservation must also proceed

hand in hand with economic development. Japan has

taken the lead in global efforts in such areas as climate

change and environmental protection.

In addressing development challenges, including

the Millennium Development Goals, Japan will move

forward, making further efforts for the strategic and

effective use of official development assistance,

bearing those principles in mind.

The protection and empowerment of individuals

and communities is the foundation of international

peace and security. That is why Japan is advocating the

concept of human security. Based upon that idea, Japan

is making efforts to realize a seamless transition from

humanitarian assistance to reconstruction support in

countries such as Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and

Timor-Leste.

It is my strong belief that there can be no stability

and prosperity in the world unless Africaís issues are

resolved. Japan initiated the process of the Tokyo

International Conference on African Development

(TICAD) in 1993. Last year, Japan organized

TICAD III, with the participation of 89 countries and

47 international organizations. African countries are

now promoting regional collaboration through the

African Union and working to implement the New

Partnership for Africaís Development (NEPAD).

The collaboration between TICAD and NEPAD is

significant, because both processes are grounded in the

principles of ownership and partnership. A stable and

prosperous Africa depends upon the promotion of trade

and investment, together with official development

assistance. This autumn, Japan will host the TICAD

Asia-Africa Trade and Investment Conference.

Today, in Africa, we are witnessing the unfolding

of another humanitarian crisis. We share the

international communityís grave concern over Darfur.

Japan has decided to provide humanitarian assistance

of $21 million. In addition, Japan intends to provide in-

kind assistance to the Sudanese refugees in Chad.

In East Asia, there has been remarkable economic

development. Japan has been working with the

countries in the region to build solid foundations for

their own efforts towards economic development. In

that region, active efforts are also under way to foster

community-building. Building upon the Association of

South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plus Three, I have

advocated the idea of an East Asia community.

This year, Japan is a candidate for non-permanent

membership on the Security Council. Japan, if elected,

will redouble its efforts to play a constructive and

innovative role in the Council, based on its global

contributions.

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As the international community rises to meet the

challenges we face in todayís world, the United

Nations must not be left on the sidelines. We need a

strong and effective United Nations. Indeed, we must

create a new United Nations for the new era. I applaud

the timely initiative by the Secretary-General of

establishing the High-level Panel on Threats,

Challenges and Change. I trust that the Panel will

present the Secretary-General with a bold and

ambitious plan for reforming the United Nations.

Peace and security, and economic and social

issues are increasingly intertwined. The response of the

United Nations must be coordinated and

comprehensive. United Nations agencies and organs

must be effective and efficient. Changes are needed

throughout the United Nations system.

The reform of the Security Council must be at the

core of those changes. In recent years, the role of the

Security Council has expanded dramatically in scope

and nature. The Security Council must fulfil its

expanded role, with the maximum cooperation and

participation of the international community.

To that end, the Security Council must improve

its representation to better reflect today's world. In

addition, the Council must be provided with adequate

resources to address challenges effectively. Countries

with the will and the resources to play a major role in

international peace and security must always take part

in the Councilís decision-making process. The Security

Council therefore needs to be expanded, both in its

permanent and non-permanent categories, adding new

members from both developing and developed

countries.

The universal purpose of the United Nations ó

our common goal - is to maintain international peace

and security. In striving towards that goal, each

Member State must fulfil its role, commensurate with

its own capabilities.

It is our conviction that peace cannot be achieved

through force alone. On the basis of that conviction,

Japan has played an active and distinctive role. Japan

has made considerable resources available for United

Nations peacekeeping operations, as well as for

reconstruction efforts to assist in the consolidation of

peace. Japanís Self-Defense Forces have conducted

humanitarian and reconstruction activities in such areas

as Timor-Leste and Iraq.

Such global contributions to peace are rooted in

the fundamental, cherished beliefs of the Japanese

people, who have been seeking an honoured place in an

international community that strives for peace and

prosperity. Those contributions are, I believe, greatly

appreciated by the international community.

Recent United Nations peace operations show

that there are many dimensions to the achievement and

consolidation of peace. Making peace a reality requires

comprehensive efforts, ranging from peace-building to

nation-building. Japan's role has thus become

increasingly vital to the maintenance of international

peace and security, which is precisely the mandate of

the Security Council. We believe that the role that

Japan has played provides a solid basis for its

assumption of permanent membership of the Security

Council.

In order to better reflect today's world, it is also

necessary to remove the 'enemy State' clauses from

the Charter, as the General Assembly has already

recognized those provisions to be obsolete.

The scale of assessments for Member States

needs to be more balanced.

Next year, the United Nations will celebrate its

sixtieth anniversary. We will hold a high-level plenary

meeting to review progress on all of the commitments

in the Millennium Declaration. Development, global

security and United Nations reform are all high on the

agenda. Changes are needed on all fronts. The time has

come to make a historic decision to reform the United

Nations, and the Security Council in particular.

Time is limited. Our future - the future of the

United Nations - is at stake. I would like to call upon

the members of this body to work together and take a

bold step towards the creation of a new United Nations

for the new era.