Statement by Mr. Katsuya Okada, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on the Election of Ms. Kuniko Ozaki, Professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies and Special Assistant to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, to the International Criminal Court (ICC)

November 19, 2009
Japanese

The Government of Japan welcomes the election of Japan’s candidate, Ms. Kuniko Ozaki, Professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies and Special Assistant to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, in the by-election of International Criminal Court (ICC) judges held at the eighth session of the Assembly of States Parties of the ICC at The Hague, the Netherlands, on November 18 (Wed) (local time in the Netherlands).
Japan intends to actively participate in the development of international criminal law and international humanitarian law through the activities of the ICC, and also to make the utmost contribution to the ICC in terms of human resources. Japan believes that the election of Professor Ozaki in this by-election is significant in that it not only indicates the high evaluation given to her, but also the appreciation of other states for Japan’s enthusiastic posture towards the ICC.
Japan expects Professor Ozaki, who is an expert in the fields of international human rights law, international humanitarian law as well as international and domestic criminal law, to make great contributions to the ICC as a judge.

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