(As delivered)
Statement by Mr. Jun Hasebe
Counsellor and Legal Advisor,
Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations
At the Meeting of the Sixth Committee
On the Rule of Law at the National and International Levels
6 October 2016
Mr. Chairman,
Japan reiterates its strong support for the rule of law at the national and international levels, based on its conviction that the rule of law provides the essential foundation of any society.
To promote the rule of law at the international level, we attach great importance to the work of the permanent international judicial organs, such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA). These organs are vital to ensuring the rule of law and the peaceful settlement of disputes, and Japan has provided both human and financial resources to support them.
Japan believes that without strong human resources in the field, the rule of law cannot be achieved. We focused our support in this area, especially the Asia-Pacific region, and are committed to making further efforts. As our Foreign Minister stated in the Security Council open debate held in July during the month of Japan’s presidency, Japan will also work with the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO) to promote capacity building for legal institutions.
Mr. Chairman,
My delegation greatly appreciates the role of the UN in promoting and universalizing the rule of law. As enshrined in the UN Charter, the General Assembly has a role to play in the progressive development of international law and its codification. The International Law Commission (ILC) has undertaken a variety of work in this field and has once again submitted an invaluable report to this committee. The Japanese ILC member, Dr. Shinya Murase severs as Special Rapporteur on the topic “Protection of the Atmosphere”, contributing to the development of international law in this field. Our delegation looks forward to a lively debate later this month.
Moreover, we are honored to host the Fourteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in 2020 in Japan. We believe that it would be a great opportunity to consolidate and promote the rule of law.
I would also like to briefly note some practical measures that the Japanese government has taken at the national level to facilitate access to justice in accordance with the resolution on this topic adopted last year. The Japanese Legal Support Center was established in 2006 to provide more accessible judicial support. This Center has branches nationwide and places particular focus on providing legal aid to people in need, including in areas where it is difficult to access lawyers, as well as the regions affected by the natural disasters such as the great East Japan 3/11 Earthquakes in 2011. We believe that this Center is playing a pivotal role in promoting the rule of law domestically.
I would like to conclude my remark by reiterating Japan’s determination to enhance the rule of law, both nationally and internationally.
I thank you.
