Mr. Yasutoshi Nishimura, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, to Attend the Seoul High-Level Meeting on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia
June 4, 2009
Japanese
- Mr. Yasutoshi Nishimura, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs,
will attend the Seoul High-Level Meeting on piracy off the coast of Somalia
as the Representative of the Government of Japan. The meeting will be held
on June 9 (Tue) and June 10 (Wed) in Seoul.
- This meeting is held through the cooperation of Japan, the Republic
of Korea and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Attendees will
include Dr. Shin Kak-soo, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of
the Republic of Korea, and Mr. Koji Sekimizu, Director, Maritime Safety
Division, International Maritime Organization. At the Japan - Republic of
Korea Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in February 2009, the both sides agreed
to seek the possibility of close collaboration on anti-piracy issues. This
meeting is an excellent example of such a collaboration translated into
action by both countries. In the meeting, Japan will chair a session titled
“Response of the Industry and Best Management Practice”.
- Anti-piracy measures off the coast of Somalia are extremely important because it is an international challenge and also because it has to do with protection of the lives and property of Japanese citizens as well as safe passage of vessels. Representatives from twenty-five countries, including coastal states, and representatives from four international organizations are scheduled to attend this high-level meeting. Based on Japan’s experience of tackling piracy in Asia, Japan will continue to make its utmost effort for anti-piracy while discussing concrete measures against piracy including the improvement of maritime law enforcement capacity of coastal states and stabilization of the volatile situation in Somalia which is at the root of the increase of piracy incidents.
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