Nomination of Ms. Fumiko Saiga, Ambassador in Charge of Human Rights and the Member of Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), as a Candidate for the By-Election of International Criminal Court (ICC) Judges

July 6, 2007

At the Cabinet Meeting of July 6, Mr. Taro Aso, Minister for Foreign Affairs, stated that the Government of Japan would nominate Ms. Fumiko Saiga, Ambassador in Charge of Human Rights and the Member of Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), as a candidate for the by-election of ICC judges to be held in December this year.

The ICC, established in 2002, is a first-ever permanent international criminal court to prosecute and punish individuals, in accordance with international law, who committed “the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole” such as crimes against humanity and genocide. Japan will become a State Party to the ICC Rome Statute formally in October this year. Japan intends to provide as many Japanese staff members as possible, including a judge, and proactively support ICC activities through humanitarian contribution.

If a Japanese national is elected as an ICC judge after Japan accedes to the Statute, Japan will be able to make a strong appeal concerning its active efforts for the development of the international criminal law and humanitarian law in visible form and contribute to the promotion of the “Rule of Law” in the international community, which is part of the “Value-Oriented Diplomacy” that Japan upholds.

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