Statement by Mr. Shigetoshi Nagao
Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations
Agenda item 138: Scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the UN
Agenda item 147: Scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of UN PKOs
Main Part of the Seventieth Session,
Fifth Committee of the General Assembly
8 October 2015
Thank you Mr. Chairman,
I would first like to thank Ambassador Bernardo Greiver, Chairman of the Committee on Contributions, and Ms. Bettina Tucci Bartsiotas, Assistant Secretary-General and Controller, for introducing their respective reports.
Mr. Chairman,
Assessed contributions are the backbone of the United Nations. Without assessed contributions, this Organization would not function. The Member States are privileged to share the responsibility of financially supporting the United Nations according to their respective capacities to pay. Japan is proud to continuously hold its position as the second largest contributor to the United Nations for the last three decades; and furthermore to have paid all its assessments in full.
Historically, Japan used to pay more than 20% of the total UN budget. We accepted that high share and paid it in full because we believed it reflected the economic realities of the time. Although there is still room for improvement in the methodology to better reflect Member State’s capacity to pay, all Member States should understand the changes in scale of assessments shown in the reports introduced today as reflecting the recent changes in economic realities of each Member State.
Mr. Chairman,
In addition to the principle of capacity to pay, the peacekeeping scale of assessments takes into consideration the special responsibilities of the permanent members of the Security Council and this tradition should be maintained. While Japan, along with some other Member States, is seeking a reform in the Security Council, it remains a firm supporter of this tradition. Should Japan become a permanent member of the Security Council, it would be willing to bare a share equivalent to the special responsibilities it will assume.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, my delegation looks forward to participating in the negotiations in a constructive manner.
I thank you.
