Participation of Mr. Yasutoshi Nishimura, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, in the Ministerial Meeting of the United Nations Security Council to Address the Issue of the Acts of Piracy and Armed Robbery off the Coast of Somalia

December 15, 2008

Mr. Yasutoshi Nishimura, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, will attend as a representative of Japan the ministerial meeting of the United Nations Security Council to address the issue of the acts of piracy off the coast of Somalia to be held on the afternoon of Tuesday, December 16, 2008. The meeting will be chaired by H.E. Mr. Ivo Sanader, Prime Minister of Croatia, and attended by H.E. Dr. Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State of the Untied States, and other participants.
Japan has been gravely concerned about the increase of the acts of piracy and armed robbery off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden. Japan regards this issue as an urgent matter from the point of view of ensuring the safety of maritime navigation as well as of protecting the lives and assets of its nationals and recognizes that it required urgent measures as a challenge to the whole international community.
In anticipation of Japan's joining in the Security Council as a non-permanent member from the year 2009, Japan will seize this opportunity and further actively participate in the discussions in the framework of the United Nations.

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