On 9 October 2012, Ambassador Kazuo Kodama, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations, made a statement in the General Assembly Hall on the Secretary-General’s report on the Work of the Organization. In his statement, Amb. Kodama noted both the progress made and the challenges ahead for the General Assembly to address during the 67th Session under H.E. Mr. VukJeremić‘s leadership.

         Ambassador Kodama opened his statement by discussing the rule of law, to follow up to the first ever General Assembly High-Level meeting on this issue which took place on 24 September 2012. With these remarks, Japan reiterated its commitment to strengthening the rule of law through the utilization of international courts and tribunals as a means to solve international disputes. He also explained Japan’s strong belief in the connection between the rule of law and human rights, describing Japan’s continued contributions towards the promotion of human rights, strengthening capacity building, empowerment of individuals and communities, and also in addressing the challenges of women. Japan’s statement was notable as the only statement of the plenary which addressed the rule of law.

         During the statement, Amb. Kodama discussed international peace and security, a topic which many Member States also reflected on during the session, including the contributions Japan continues to make towards Peacekeeping, Peacebuilding, human security including the TICAD V meeting which Japan will host next year in Yokohama, the Middle East, disarmament and non-proliferation, and terrorism. It wasfurther announced that Japan is determined to contribute to achieving the MDGs and to making efforts to address climate change, outlining Japan’s low-carbon growth initiatives.

         Amb. Kodama further discussed his disappointment in the Security Council’s inaction over the situation in Syria and called on the General Assembly to address the urgent need for Security Council reform. With appreciation for the Chairman of the 66th Session of the GA’s working group on intergovernmental negotiations, he further called for a concise working document to be drafted during the current session.

         The meeting included speakers from 14 Member States regarding the report A/67/1.

Read the full statement here: Ambassador Kodama’s Statement

(J.C.)