サイバーセキュリティに関する国連オープン・エンド作業部会（OEWG）バーチャル非公式会合における赤堀毅総合外交政策局審議官（サイバー政策担当大使）ステートメント (2021年 2月 18日, 19日, 22日 )
令和3年2月18日
Japan wishes to extend its gratitude to the Chair, Ambassador Lauber, and the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs for convening this important meeting of the OEWG despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Japan supports the Chair’s efforts to continue our dialogue and identify further areas of convergence in order to achieve a consensus OEWG report.
I think all of us have studied the Russian position shared only a few days before this meeting and heard the Russian statement today very carefully. The statement included a new proposal for the adoption of a short document which would roll over the present OEWG to the new OEWG for five more years. In their commentary to the zero draft, Russia takes the position that “It is of Russia’s concern that the methodology of negotiating the text under time pressure could lead to repeating the notorious case of the 2016-2017 GGE, which did not manage to reach consensus due to unrealistic deadline.” I tend to agree to that observation. In order to secure more time to achieve a consensus report, I support some kind of postponement of the OEWG. We need more time to discuss the text, taking into account the fact that there are quite a number of edits proposed by Russia. I heard a lot of other countries making many comments and saying that their positions are not yet reflected. So I would support a postponement within the timeframe that the chair proposed. A postponement, by consensus, to August makes sense. But if that is not the consensus, we are ready to negotiate in the original timeframe.
Now, I would like to state Japan's position on the Zero Draft. Japan believes that the zero draft of the report presented to us by the Chair is well-balanced overall, and can basically accept its contents as the final report reflecting the results of the discussions held by all UN member states. Nevertheless, we believe there are several points that should be revised.
【Introduction】
First, Introduction section. Paragraph 7 states that the discussions and activities of the OEWG are aimed at realizing an open, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful ICT environment, which is consistent with the 2015 GGE report. Japan supports this paragraph.
In addition, it is confirmed in the 2015 GGE report that existing international law applies to activities in cyberspace. Japan also supports paragraph 13, which states that international law is an essential framework for “Norms, Rules and Principles”, “Confidence Building Measures” and “Capacity-Building” that are essential for stability in cyberspace.
【Existing and Potential Threats】
Next, Existing and Potential Threats section. Due to the global spread of COVID-19, medical facilities play a more critical role for people's livelihoods and lives than ever before. Therefore, Japan has co-sponsored the proposal to treat medical facilities as Critical Infrastructure, and strongly supports the content of paragraph 21.
【International Law】
Next, International Law section. As part of the overall structure, Japan welcomes the placement of the international law section after the Existing and Potential Threats section. Japan supports the content of paragraphs 27, 28, and 30 as it is also mentioned in the 2015 GGE report and is the essential building block of the OEWG discussion. It is necessary to move these paragraphs from the Discussion part to the Conclusion part.
Japan strongly supports the phrase that “existing bodies, mechanisms and tools for the prevention and peaceful settlement of disputes” in paragraph 36.
Regarding paragraph 37, we would like to see the first part of the International Law section go back to the language in the Second Pre-Draft, as it further indicates accuracy of the same content.
【Rules, Norms and Principles for Responsible State Behaviour】
As for the Rules, Norms and Principles for Responsible State Behavior section, discussions have been held with the aim of promoting further understanding and implementation of the 11 norms agreed upon in the 2015 GGE report. Therefore, it is important to reconfirm the 11 norms mentioned in paragraph 47 in the OEWG report. Specifically, the 11 norms should be described in the "Conclusion" section.
Japan strongly supports paragraph 50, as supporting the content as the co-sponsored country, mentioned earlier in the Existing and Potential Threats section.
Regarding the relationship between voluntary, non-binding norms and legally binding international law, paragraph 54 accurately describes the content, and therefore, Japan supports its content.
【Confidence-building Measures】
Confidence-building Measures section is also an important section. For various activities, it is important to understand both Point of Contacts and to create a framework for communications. For this reason, Japan supports paragraph 64.
Sharing lessons learned and best practices among countries are also important elements of Confidence-building Measures. So Japan supports paragraph 65.
【Capacity-building】
Capacity building not only improves the capabilities of the recipient country, but also directly leads to enhanced security and stability in cyberspace as a whole. In this sense, “a common but differentiated responsibility” does not fit the context.
【Regular Institutional Dialogue】
Lastly, I would like to touch upon the Regular Institutional Dialogue section. Regarding the PoA, which is strongly related to this section, Japan, as a co-sponsor, supports the content of Paragraph 99.
It is also important that the PoA should be action-oriented. Therefore, Japan supports paragraph 109.
Many countries expressed their support for the establishment of the PoA during the discussions, therefore, it is very important to include this fact in this report. Japan also supports the inclusion in the report of the content contained in paragraph 112 in the context of its establishment and activities under the First Committee of the United Nations.
Thank you Chair.
I think all of us have studied the Russian position shared only a few days before this meeting and heard the Russian statement today very carefully. The statement included a new proposal for the adoption of a short document which would roll over the present OEWG to the new OEWG for five more years. In their commentary to the zero draft, Russia takes the position that “It is of Russia’s concern that the methodology of negotiating the text under time pressure could lead to repeating the notorious case of the 2016-2017 GGE, which did not manage to reach consensus due to unrealistic deadline.” I tend to agree to that observation. In order to secure more time to achieve a consensus report, I support some kind of postponement of the OEWG. We need more time to discuss the text, taking into account the fact that there are quite a number of edits proposed by Russia. I heard a lot of other countries making many comments and saying that their positions are not yet reflected. So I would support a postponement within the timeframe that the chair proposed. A postponement, by consensus, to August makes sense. But if that is not the consensus, we are ready to negotiate in the original timeframe.
Now, I would like to state Japan's position on the Zero Draft. Japan believes that the zero draft of the report presented to us by the Chair is well-balanced overall, and can basically accept its contents as the final report reflecting the results of the discussions held by all UN member states. Nevertheless, we believe there are several points that should be revised.
【Introduction】
First, Introduction section. Paragraph 7 states that the discussions and activities of the OEWG are aimed at realizing an open, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful ICT environment, which is consistent with the 2015 GGE report. Japan supports this paragraph.
In addition, it is confirmed in the 2015 GGE report that existing international law applies to activities in cyberspace. Japan also supports paragraph 13, which states that international law is an essential framework for “Norms, Rules and Principles”, “Confidence Building Measures” and “Capacity-Building” that are essential for stability in cyberspace.
【Existing and Potential Threats】
Next, Existing and Potential Threats section. Due to the global spread of COVID-19, medical facilities play a more critical role for people's livelihoods and lives than ever before. Therefore, Japan has co-sponsored the proposal to treat medical facilities as Critical Infrastructure, and strongly supports the content of paragraph 21.
【International Law】
Next, International Law section. As part of the overall structure, Japan welcomes the placement of the international law section after the Existing and Potential Threats section. Japan supports the content of paragraphs 27, 28, and 30 as it is also mentioned in the 2015 GGE report and is the essential building block of the OEWG discussion. It is necessary to move these paragraphs from the Discussion part to the Conclusion part.
Japan strongly supports the phrase that “existing bodies, mechanisms and tools for the prevention and peaceful settlement of disputes” in paragraph 36.
Regarding paragraph 37, we would like to see the first part of the International Law section go back to the language in the Second Pre-Draft, as it further indicates accuracy of the same content.
【Rules, Norms and Principles for Responsible State Behaviour】
As for the Rules, Norms and Principles for Responsible State Behavior section, discussions have been held with the aim of promoting further understanding and implementation of the 11 norms agreed upon in the 2015 GGE report. Therefore, it is important to reconfirm the 11 norms mentioned in paragraph 47 in the OEWG report. Specifically, the 11 norms should be described in the "Conclusion" section.
Japan strongly supports paragraph 50, as supporting the content as the co-sponsored country, mentioned earlier in the Existing and Potential Threats section.
Regarding the relationship between voluntary, non-binding norms and legally binding international law, paragraph 54 accurately describes the content, and therefore, Japan supports its content.
【Confidence-building Measures】
Confidence-building Measures section is also an important section. For various activities, it is important to understand both Point of Contacts and to create a framework for communications. For this reason, Japan supports paragraph 64.
Sharing lessons learned and best practices among countries are also important elements of Confidence-building Measures. So Japan supports paragraph 65.
【Capacity-building】
Capacity building not only improves the capabilities of the recipient country, but also directly leads to enhanced security and stability in cyberspace as a whole. In this sense, “a common but differentiated responsibility” does not fit the context.
【Regular Institutional Dialogue】
Lastly, I would like to touch upon the Regular Institutional Dialogue section. Regarding the PoA, which is strongly related to this section, Japan, as a co-sponsor, supports the content of Paragraph 99.
It is also important that the PoA should be action-oriented. Therefore, Japan supports paragraph 109.
Many countries expressed their support for the establishment of the PoA during the discussions, therefore, it is very important to include this fact in this report. Japan also supports the inclusion in the report of the content contained in paragraph 112 in the context of its establishment and activities under the First Committee of the United Nations.
Thank you Chair.