Japan-Sweden Relations
Exchange of Views among Foreign Minister Kamikawa, the Director of the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA), and Others
On January 10, commencing at 9:45 a.m. local time (same day, 5:45 p.m. JST) for approximately 45 minutes, Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, during her visit to Stockholm, held an exchange of views with Mr. Per OLSSON FRIDH, Director General, Folke Bernadotte Academy, and others. The overview is as follows.
Minister Kamikawa pointed out the importance of peacebuilding efforts and explained Japan-Sweden cooperation in this area, as well as efforts in the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) area, including disaster countermeasures and disaster prevention. Director General Olsson Fridh praised Minister Kamikawa for her leadership in the WPS area, then the representatives from the military, police, and aid agencies who were in charge of gender issues explained the specific practices of WPS in their respective areas. They shared the view that it is important to provide concrete support based on the WPS in Ukraine and the Middle East, and affirmed that they would continue to cooperate in the area of peacebuilding, including the WPS.
In 2000, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted the UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), which stated for the first time in the Council’s history that international peace and conflict prevention and resolution require the equal participation of women, protection against sexual violence in conflict, and gender equality. To implement the resolution and related resolutions, Japan has so far formulated and implemented three rounds of action plans.