Japan, 2005

I should like, first and

foremost, to convey, once again, my sincere sympathy

in connection with the victims of the devastation

caused by Hurricane Katrina.

Allow me to congratulate you, Sir, on your

election to the presidency of the General Assembly at

its sixtieth session. I would also like to pay high tribute

to Mr. Jean Ping, your predecessor, for his

distinguished leadership.

The 60-year history of the United Nations has

been a pathway towards a peaceful, prosperous and just

world. The path followed by Japan during that time has

been, indeed, that of a nation striving for an honoured

place among peace-loving nations. Building upon the

determination that it will never again follow the path to

war, Japan has pursued, and will continue to pursue,

international peace and stability in partnership with the

United Nations.

Japan needs an effective and efficient United

Nations and strongly endorses the outcome document

of the summit. To that end, our leadersí commitments,

as expressed in the document, must be translated into

action with the utmost urgency. Japan will spare no

effort in that endeavour.

The new United Nations must be equipped with a

better peacebuilding capacity. We expect the proposed

Peacebuilding Commission to help to achieve that

objective. To that end, Japan will continue to play a

constructive role, making full use of its experience and

resources.

In the Gaza Strip, the reconstruction effort after

the Israeli withdrawal has been crucial. Japan has

implemented more than $110 million worth of

assistance since the beginning of this year, in the

fervent hope that we will now see the resumption of

the road map.

As the largest donor to the Trust Fund for Iraqi

reconstruction, Japan has devoted its energies to

bringing together the international community in the

reconstruction effort. Humanitarian and reconstruction

assistance by Japan's Self-Defence Forces and official

development assistance (ODA) are contributing in

tandem to progress towards a peaceful and prosperous

Iraq. Japan has pledged ODA amounting to $5 billion,

of which $1.5 billion in grant assistance has already

been implemented.

Japan has taken the lead in assisting the Afghan

efforts for disarmament, demobilization and

reintegration (DDR), in conjunction with the United

Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

As a result, about 63,000 ex-combatants are to

complete the reintegration programme by the end of

next June. Japanese Self-Defence Forces vessels are

engaged in activities in the Indian Ocean in support of

the countries fighting against terrorism. Japan has

announced that its contribution will total $1 billion by

the end of March 2006, including assistance in the field

of security.

It is essential to ensure a sense of justice in a

society struggling to recover from its suffering in the

aftermath of conflict. In the area of establishing the

rule of law, Japan, in cooperation with the Government

of Cambodia, has taken the lead in setting up a tribunal

to try members of the Khmer Rouge, with a

contribution of over $20 million.

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Sixty summers have passed since Hiroshima and

Nagasaki suffered the indescribable horrors of nuclear

devastation. Japan again calls upon all Member States

to renew their determination to bring about a peaceful

world free of nuclear weapons.

To that end, Japan will submit a draft resolution

to the General Assembly presenting a concrete agenda

to strengthen the disarmament and non-proliferation

regime, including a call for the early entry into force of

the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

In that regard, it is extremely regrettable that the 2005

Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the

Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)

concluded without adopting a consensus document on

substantive issues, and that the outcome document

found no consensus on disarmament and non-

proliferation.

The Democratic People's Republic of Koreaís

nuclear programmes pose a serious challenge to the

international non-proliferation regime, centring on the

NPT, and constitute a direct threat to peace and

stability in North-East Asia. Japan is committed to a

peaceful resolution of the nuclear issue through the six-

party talks and strongly hopes that the Democratic

Peopleís Republic of Korea will accept the prompt and

verifiable dismantlement of all its nuclear weapons and

nuclear programmes at the current round of talks in

Beijing. Japan will continue to make every effort to

ensure that the nuclear issue, along with the missile

and abduction issues, is comprehensively resolved in

accordance with the Pyongyang Declaration.

Japan believes that the Iranian nuclear issue

should be resolved through negotiations by diplomatic

means. To that end, Japan strongly urges Iran to

implement, in a spirit of sincerity, all the requirements

set out in the relevant resolutions of the International

Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors,

including the full suspension of uranium conversion

activities, and to return to the negotiating table with the

three European Union States.

In recent years, we have witnessed countless

tragedies caused by terrorist acts. Japan, for its part,

has continued to provide assistance to countries in need

of capacity-building in the area of counter-terrorism.

To consolidate the international legal framework, Japan

calls on Member States to join international counter-

terrorism conventions and protocols, including the

newly adopted International Convention for the

Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism.

Development provides a foundation for peace and

stability. The new United Nations must serve as an

effective Organization for the promotion of

development. Having recovered from the devastation

of the Second World War with global assistance, Japan

is in a better position than any other country to

demonstrate the significance of ownership and

partnership, poverty reduction through economic

growth, and human security in promoting development.

The concept of human security ó focusing on the

protection and empowerment of individuals ó offers a

meaningful approach in a world striving for freedom

and dignity. The concept also provides an important

viewpoint with respect to the protection of human

rights. I look forward to forthcoming discussions on

this concept in the General Assembly, to which leaders

committed themselves in the outcome document.

Based on its experiences as a recipient, and also a

donor for more than a half century, Japan has been

keen to make an impact on world development and

thus has contributed one-fifth of world ODA over the

past 10 years. Japan is resolved to continue its support

for achieving the Millennium Development Goals

(MDGs). To that end, Japan intends to increase its

ODA volume by $10 billion over the next five years.

For the achievement of the MDGs, addressing the

issues facing Africa is critically important. As Prime

Minister Koizumi announced during the Asia-Africa

summit, Japan will double its ODA to Africa in the

next three years and host the fourth Tokyo

International Conference on African Development

(TICAD) meeting in 2008. In an effort to support

Africansí own efforts to bring about peace and

stability, Japan has devoted its energies to the

consolidation of peace in such countries as the Sudan,

the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone,

Burundi and Liberia.

With respect to the Sudan, Japan has decided to

disburse more than half of its pledged assistance of

$100 million, with a contribution of personnel through

the United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS).

Furthermore, to address the humanitarian crisis in

Africa and in other regions caused by infectious

diseases, Japan has announced $500 million in

financial assistance in the coming years for the Global

Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Japan

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will contribute $5 billion over the next five years to the

ìHealth and Developmentî Initiative. Japan has also

taken steps to address the ìforgotten crisesî in Africa

and will continue to focus on those issues.

At no other time in its history has an effective,

efficient and credible United Nations been more

needed than today. The credibility of the United

Nations is at stake. The basic structure of the Security

Council continues to reflect the world of 1945. Reform

of the Security Council therefore remains key to

achieving the overall renewal of the United Nations.

The fact that an overwhelming majority of Member

States - 166 countries in all - called for Security

Council reform during the previous session of the

General Assembly is a testament to the urgent need for

reform.

For the first time in the 60-year history of the

United Nations, during the last General Assembly

session we witnessed the submission of draft

resolutions calling for fundamental change in the

composition of the Security Council. Japan is proud to

have taken the lead in promoting Security Council

reform. It is encouraging, as well, that a large number

of leaders at the recent summit expressed their support

for reform.

I believe that Japan's path of striving for

international peace speaks for itself, and should serve

as the basis for a larger role for Japan as a permanent

member of a reformed Security Council. I can assure

you, Mr. President, that Japan will continue to make its

utmost effort to realize the reform under your

leadership. And I call on Member States to reach an

early decision at this session of the General Assembly.

The new United Nations requires an efficient and

effective Secretariat, with a strong sense of integrity.

Japan is deeply concerned about recent developments,

including the failure over the oil-for-food programme.

The management and administration of the United

Nations system must be transparent and accountable to

Member States and their citizens. In this regard, Japan

will promote and conduct more comprehensive

performance evaluation of United Nations activities.

With respect to the anachronistic ìenemy Stateî

clauses, I am pleased to note that the leaders resolved

in the outcome document (resolution 60/1) to delete

these obsolete clauses from the Charter at the earliest

opportunity.

A comprehensive review is also needed in order

to reach agreement on a scale of assessment structure

that is more equitable and fair. Japan will actively

participate in the negotiations to be concluded by the

end of next year. In the upcoming negotiation process,

Japan will make its utmost effort to ensure that the

status and responsibilities of a Member State are duly

taken into account in the scale of assessments.

We have embarked on a mission to renew the

United Nations. A great deal of work lies ahead. I call

upon all representatives in this Hall to dedicate

themselves to accomplishing this unfinished mission

by the close of this commemorative session of the

General Assembly.