Statement by H.E. Mr. Motohide Yoshikawa

Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations

at the Commemorative Meeting of the 70th Anniversary

of the Charter of the United Nations

23 October 2015

 

 

Mr. President,

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

         At the outset, let me express my sincere gratitude to Your Excellency for convening this meeting commemorating the 70th anniversary of the United Nations and its Charter. I also wish to extend my appreciation to Spain for its initiative in preparing the Declaration, which has just been adopted this afternoon.

 

         Since its establishment in 1945, the United Nations has played a crucial role in promoting “three pillars,”, namely peace and security, development and human rights.

 

         In the area of development, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have enabled remarkable achievements, including halving the population suffering from extreme poverty.  The adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development sets a new, universal course of actions to finish the unfinished business of MDGs and attain sustainable development globally.

 

         With regard to human rights, also, lots of things have happened. Various international legal instruments have already been adopted and approved by Member States. Furthermore, the institutional aspect for the protection of human rights has been significantly enhanced, such as the transformation of the Human Rights Commission into the Human Rights Council, as well as the creation of the post of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

 

         Concerning the important pillar of peace and security, we can highlight that the U.N. has been successful to prevent the Third World War.  However, we face ever-growing conflicts and crises in various parts of the world, in particular Middle East and Africa.

 

         The Security Council has been given the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. At the same time, the geopolitical realities have changed during the last 70 years.  I was very encouraged to hear that almost all previous speakers spoke that the Security Council should reflect the realities of the international community of the 21st century to more effectively and promptly address conflicts and crises and the Security Council should be reformed. 

 

         Japan believes that the expansion of both permanent and non-permanent membership will surely strengthen the function of the Security Council.  We believe that the process underway to bring about the reform of the Security Council should be conducted, given its urgency, in a fixed time frame. Now is the time for us to move the process forward, based on General Assembly Decision which was adopted by consensus on the very last day of 69th session, 14th September.

 

Mr. President,

 

         The United Nations must be most responsive to the challenges and the needs of our time in order to become even more effective and efficient. Japan will continue to work closely with you, Mr. President, and the delegates of all the Member States toward this objective.

 

I thank you, Mr. President.