Nomination of Ms. Kuniko Ozaki, Professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies and Special Assistant to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, as a Candidate for the By-Election of International Criminal Court (ICC) Judges

July 17, 2009
Japanese

At the Cabinet Meeting held on July 17 (Fri), Mr. Hirofumi Nakasone, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, stated that the Government of Japan would nominate Ms. Kuniko Ozaki, Professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies and Special Assistant to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, as a candidate for the by-election of ICC judges to be held in November this year. Ms. Ozaki is Japan’s leading expert on human rights and humanitarian issues.
The ICC, established in 2002, is the 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 genocide and crimes against humanity. Japan officially became a State Party to the ICC Rome Statute in 2007. Japan intends to provide as many Japanese staff members as possible, including a judge, and proactively support ICC activities through contributions in the field of human resources.
This by-election is being held after the sudden passing of Ms. Fumiko Saiga, who was Japan’s first ICC judge. The continuous election of a judge from Japan will enable Japan to make a strong appeal concerning its active efforts for the development of international criminal law and humanitarian law in visible form and contribute to the promotion of the “Rule of Law” in the international community, on which Japan places importance.

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