第77回国連総会本会議「海洋及び海洋法」（議題72(a)）における長野参事官ステートメント
令和4年12月9日
(As delivered)
Mr. President,Let me begin by thanking Ms. Natalie Morris Sharma of Singapore for her dedication and excellent coordination in preparing the draft resolution. Japan also wishes to express its appreciation for the constructive engagement of our fellow Member States and the invaluable support of the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS) throughout the process.
First of all, Japan would like to take this opportunity to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the adoption and opening for signature of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which has been the foundation of maritime order as “the Constitution for the Oceans”.
We would also like to pay tribute to all those who made outstanding contribution to its adoption through long and tough negotiations at the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, in particular Ambassador Tommy Koh, the president of the 3rd UN Conference on the Law of the Sea, and Ambassador Arvid Pardo, the father of the law of the sea.
Mr. President,
My delegation would like to stress the utmost importance of maintaining and promoting the maritime order based on the rule of law, especially for a nation like Japan that is surrounded by the ocean.
In recent years, maritime issues have become ever more complex and diverse. That is all the more reason to reiterate the importance of the basic principles, including the “Three Principles of the Rule of Law at Sea” advocated in 2014 by late Mr. ABE Shinzo, former Prime Minister of Japan. They are:
- States should make and clarify their claims based on international law.
- States should not use force or coercion in trying to drive their claims.
- States should seek to settle disputes by peaceful means.
It is against this background that Japan strongly upholds the universal and unified character of the UNCLOS, which provides for freedom of navigation and overflight, freedom on the high seas, the protection and preservation of the marine environment, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
Since its entry into force, Japan has been constructively and proactively contributing to maintaining and promoting the maritime order under the Convention.
For example, Japan attaches great importance to the international organizations established under UNCLOS, and is committed to providing both personnel and financial contribution to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and the International Seabed Authority (ISA). These organizations have assumed the important role of promoting a maritime order based on the UNCLOS.
Japan will nominate Ambassador HORINOUCHI Hidehisa, Ambassador of Japan for UNCLOS, as a candidate for the election of the judges of ITLOS to be held in June next year. Ambassador Horinouchi was deeply engaged in Japan’s ratification of the UNCLOS as a chief officer in charge of maritime legislation in Japan, and he is one of the most highly qualified diplomats in the field of the Law of the Sea with profound knowledge of international law. For this reason, we are confident that he will make a significant contribution to the excellent work of the Tribunal, and Japan would highly appreciate your support for him at the election.
Mr. President,
This year’s draft resolution, “Oceans and the Law of the Sea”, confirms our commitment to a rules-based maritime order and covers a wide range of oceanic issues. Japan is pleased to co-sponsor the draft resolution.
Climate Change Related Sea-Level Rise poses a serious challenge to the international community, especially small island States. Taking into account its urgency, Japan will continue to discuss and work closely with relevant countries, while respecting the integrity of the UNCLOS.
In the field of environment, negotiations for an international legally binding instrument under the UNCLOS on the BBNJ have been ongoing and drawing increasing attention toward an early conclusion of the agreement. Japan is strongly determined to continue active participation in the discussions so that the agreement will be universal, effective and functional, inclusive, and balanced between “conservation” and “sustainable use”.
Mr. President,
Japan will continue cooperating with fellow Member States that share its belief in the importance of the rule of law as a universal value, and will persistently make efforts especially towards a free and open Indo-Pacific.
In a previous statement, there were regrettably some references to the discharge of the ALPS treated water into the sea. Japan has been engaged in discussions based on scientific evidence in a transparent manner at appropriate fora with relevant expertise on this subject, such as the IAEA, and we are willing to continue doing so.
Regarding the handling of the ALPS treated water, Japan has been taking measures strictly abiding by relevant international law while giving due considerations to international practice and will continue doing so. The safety of handling of the ALPS treated water is a scientific issue. The assessment of radiological impact on humans and the environment conducted by TEPCO in accordance with internationally recognized methods demonstrates that when discharging the ALPS treated water, the radiological impact on public and marine environment will be very small compared to natural radiation exposure in Japan.
Since February of this year, IAEA officials and international experts nominated by the IAEA visited Japan and have conducted a Safety Review and a Regulatory Review on the ALPS treated water and the IAEA published progress reports on each of the reviews. During the safety review mission in November, there was a remark from the IAEA that the IAEA Task Force’s findings “have been reflected in Japan’s revisions to the plan”.
The IAEA and international experts, as third parties, have been reviewing our efforts, and the review will continue. Japan will take measures before the commencement of the discharge, as appropriate, taking into account the observations of the review to be conducted prior to discharge.
There was also a reference to “discharge of contaminated water”. However, the water to be discharged is the water whose concentrations of radioactive materials are far below the regulatory standards by diluting further the ALPS treated water that has already been purified sufficiently. Using the phrase “discharge of contaminated water”, in this context, therefore, is not based on scientific evidence, and we urge for correction. The Government of Japan will never approve the discharge of the water into the sea if the water does not meet regulatory standards which are based on international standards.
This means that TEPCO will check all the ALPS treated water and analyze radionuclides contained in it before dilution to ensure that the ALPS treated water to be discharged after dilution meets regulatory standards. The IAEA will also conduct corroboration of the TEPCO’s monitoring.
The Government of Japan has been explaining this matter to the international community in a highly transparent manner based on scientific evidence and will continue doing so.
In closing, let me reiterate Japan’s wish that the draft resolution “Oceans and the Law of the Sea”, which is the result of cooperative work by Member States, will be duly adopted by the General Assembly.
I thank you, Mr. President.