Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations of the Foreign Ministry on the Admission of the Kingdom of Tonga, the Republic of Nauru and the Republic of Kiribati to Membership in the United Nations

September 15, 1999

The Kingdom of Tonga, the Republic of Nauru and the Republic of Kiribati were warmly welcomed as members of the United Nations on September 14, 1999 when the resolution approving their admission to the United Nations was unanimously adopted at the 54th UN General Assembly held in New York. Japan heartily congratulates these three countries on their admission to the United Nations, which further enhances the universality of the Organization.

Japan shares with these three countries not only the position of an island state in the Asia-Pacific region but also keen interest in the global environmental issues such as global warming. And these three countries and Japan have been cultivating a mutual understanding and friendship through exchanges of people of various generations. Japan is, moreover, making active contributions to their self-help efforts for sustainable development. As these facts illustrate, the relations between these countries and Japan are very close. Japan will further advance its cooperative relations with these new Members at the United Nations.

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