第77回国連総会本会議「国際司法裁判所（ICJ）報告書」（議題70）における濱本公使ステートメント
令和4年10月27日
Mr. President,
President of the International Court of Justice,
Distinguished Delegates,
I would like to begin by paying a heartfelt tribute to the late Judge Antônio Cançado Trindade, who made enormous contributions to the work of the ICJ as a distinguished scholar and jurist of international law.
I would also like to extend my appreciation to President Donoghue for her dedicated leadership and comprehensive report on the Court’s activities over the past year. Japan commends the Members of the Court and the Registry for their contributions to the effective and efficient functioning of the Court.
Mr. President,
The role of the Court in maintaining international peace, stability, and prosperity has never been more important. Today we face a variety of challenges in critical areas ranging from the prohibition of the use of force to territorial and maritime delimitation to humanitarian law to human rights laws, to name just a few.
The steady volume of the Court’s caseload and the variety of cases and subject matters brought before the Court demonstrate the continued confidence of States in the role of the Court in settling disputes. This confidence is founded on the Court’s long-standing jurisprudence based on the consideration and application of existing rules of international law. We trust that the Court will continue to take a balanced approach in interpreting treaties and customary international law, which will allow the Court to maintain the high level of confidence that the international community has placed in it.
Mr. President,
As Prime Minister Kishida emphasized in his address to the General Assembly, Japan attaches great importance to the rule of law in the international community. The prohibition of the use of force and the observance of international law in good faith are fundamental principles required for the rule of law, and the United Nations and the Member States must cooperate in this regard. We believe that the Court, along with other international judicial institutions, constitutes an indispensable pillar of an international order based on international law, which in turn is a cornerstone of maintaining and promoting international peace and security.
Today, it is more necessary than ever to peacefully settle disputes. This is the main role of the Court and it cannot be achieved unless parties to a dispute abide by not just the Court’s judgments but also its orders on provisional measures which are legally binding decisions to which parties to a dispute must comply. In this regard, I would like to recall the Court’s order indicating the provisional measures issued on 16 March regarding the case brought by Ukraine against Russia. Japan supports this order and strongly demands that Russia comply with it.
Mr. President,
We believe that acceptance of the Court’s compulsory jurisdiction by the widest possible number of States enables the Court to most effectively fulfil its role. Japan once again calls upon all Member States that have not yet accepted the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court for the settlement of disputes not covered by other relevant dispute settlement mechanisms to consider doing so.
In concluding, I reiterate Japan’s steadfast support for the role of the Court in maintaining and strengthening the rule of law through the peaceful settlement of international disputes. As an incoming member of the Security Council from next January, Japan is determined to redouble its efforts to defend the UN Charter and fortify the rule of law in the international community, together with the ICJ as an indispensable partner in this field.
I thank you, Mr. President.
President of the International Court of Justice,
Distinguished Delegates,
I would like to begin by paying a heartfelt tribute to the late Judge Antônio Cançado Trindade, who made enormous contributions to the work of the ICJ as a distinguished scholar and jurist of international law.
I would also like to extend my appreciation to President Donoghue for her dedicated leadership and comprehensive report on the Court’s activities over the past year. Japan commends the Members of the Court and the Registry for their contributions to the effective and efficient functioning of the Court.
Mr. President,
The role of the Court in maintaining international peace, stability, and prosperity has never been more important. Today we face a variety of challenges in critical areas ranging from the prohibition of the use of force to territorial and maritime delimitation to humanitarian law to human rights laws, to name just a few.
The steady volume of the Court’s caseload and the variety of cases and subject matters brought before the Court demonstrate the continued confidence of States in the role of the Court in settling disputes. This confidence is founded on the Court’s long-standing jurisprudence based on the consideration and application of existing rules of international law. We trust that the Court will continue to take a balanced approach in interpreting treaties and customary international law, which will allow the Court to maintain the high level of confidence that the international community has placed in it.
Mr. President,
As Prime Minister Kishida emphasized in his address to the General Assembly, Japan attaches great importance to the rule of law in the international community. The prohibition of the use of force and the observance of international law in good faith are fundamental principles required for the rule of law, and the United Nations and the Member States must cooperate in this regard. We believe that the Court, along with other international judicial institutions, constitutes an indispensable pillar of an international order based on international law, which in turn is a cornerstone of maintaining and promoting international peace and security.
Today, it is more necessary than ever to peacefully settle disputes. This is the main role of the Court and it cannot be achieved unless parties to a dispute abide by not just the Court’s judgments but also its orders on provisional measures which are legally binding decisions to which parties to a dispute must comply. In this regard, I would like to recall the Court’s order indicating the provisional measures issued on 16 March regarding the case brought by Ukraine against Russia. Japan supports this order and strongly demands that Russia comply with it.
Mr. President,
We believe that acceptance of the Court’s compulsory jurisdiction by the widest possible number of States enables the Court to most effectively fulfil its role. Japan once again calls upon all Member States that have not yet accepted the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court for the settlement of disputes not covered by other relevant dispute settlement mechanisms to consider doing so.
In concluding, I reiterate Japan’s steadfast support for the role of the Court in maintaining and strengthening the rule of law through the peaceful settlement of international disputes. As an incoming member of the Security Council from next January, Japan is determined to redouble its efforts to defend the UN Charter and fortify the rule of law in the international community, together with the ICJ as an indispensable partner in this field.
I thank you, Mr. President.