Japan and the United Nations

(1) Japan-US-Republic of Korea (ROK) Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting (September 18) 

At the Japan-US-ROK Trilateral Ministerial Meeting chaired by Minister Kishida, the three Ministersshared the view that they will work closely together to exert pressure on North Korea, including at the United Nations, and discussed a Security Council resolution, with additional sanctions against North Korea and measures of their own. Regarding the issue of abductions by North Korea, Minister Kishida mentioned that this is the most important issue concerning the sovereignty of Japan and the lives and safety of the Japanese citizens, and called for understanding and cooperation. He gained support from John Kerry, Secretary of State of the United States of America and Yun Byung-se, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea. The three Ministers released a joint statement summarizing the outcomes of the meeting after the meeting. 

(2) International Syria Support Group (ISSG) Ministerial Meeting (September 20)

Minister Kishida attended the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) Ministerial Meeting. The meeting brought together representatives from ISSG member countries and entities, including US Secretary of State John Kerry, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergei Lavrov, and Special Envoy for Syrian, Staffan de Mistura. The United States, Russia, and the United Nations explained the current situation in Syria and conditions surrounding the US-Russia agreement on ceasing hostilities, and the meeting confirmed the need for all sides to conform to the US-Russia agreement. 

(3) G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting (September 20) 

Minister Kishida chaired a G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting with the G7 Foreign Ministers and the European Union's High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The Ministers conducted a frank exchange of views on conditions in Asia (North Korea, the East China Sea, and the South China Sea), counter-measures against terrorism and violent extremism, and the Syrian situation, and they confirmed the importance of deepening G7 collaboration. After the meeting, they issued the "G7 Foreign Ministers' Statement on Recent Conditions in Asia" and the "G7 Foreign Ministers' Statement on Counter-Measures Against Terrorism and Violent Extremism."

(4) G4 Foreign Ministers' Meeting (September 21)

The meeting took place with participation of H.E. Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier (Chair), Federal Foreign Minister of Germany, H.E. Mr. Jos? Serra, Foreign Minister of Brazil, and H.E.Mr. M. J. Akbar, Minister of State for External Affairs of India and reviewed initiatives in promoting   Security Council reform in the recent years. The Ministers shared a perception of the current state of the reform and exchanged views on how to move it forward.  
Additionally, the G4 Foreign Ministers welcomed meetings of the Group of Friendson Security Council reform (refer to 1 (5) below) and pledged to continue to work towards a  comprehensive Security Council reforms in the framework of the intergovernmental negotiations.   

(5) High-Level Meeting of the Group of Friends on United Nations Security Council Reform (September 21) 

The meeting attracted high-level participation of various groups of reform-oriented countries, such as the G4, Africa, Caribbean countries, the UK and France, and Northern Europe. The countries shared a recognition that Security Council reform is a pressing issue and confirmed their intention to cooperate within the group framework toward an early realization of a meaningful Security Council reform.   

(6) Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) Ministerial Meeting (September 21) 

Approximately 100 states participated in the Eighth Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) Ministerial Meeting, including Foreign Ministers from about 30 countries. Minister Kishida and Julie Bishop MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia co-chaired the meeting. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea Yun Byung-se,  Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada St?phane Dion, Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Lassina Zerbo, and others delivered statements. Many countries called for early entry into force of the CTBT and stressed the importance of building inspection capabilities. Many participants condemned North Korea's recent nuclear test, and strongly urged North Korea to comply with relevant UN Security Council resolutionsand not to conduct further nuclear tests.    
Minister Kishida condemned North Korea's fifth nuclear test in the strongest terms in his closing remarks after the adoption of the Ministerial Joint Statement on promoting entry into force of the CTBT. He also mentioned that he would coordinate closely with countries concerned towards the adoption of a new Security Council resolution, with additional sanctions, and called upon the remaining non-ratifying states to undertake further efforts toward ratification.  
Additionally, he explained the plan to hold an international conference on nuclear disarmament in Nagasaki that aims to deepen discussions on realistic and practical nuclear disarmament measures. 

(7) Pledging Conference for the United Nations Peace Building Fund (PBF) (September 21) 

At the Pledging Conference  for contributions to the PBF co-hosted by the United Kingdom, Sweden, and others, Minster Kishida indicated that Japan will contribute about 10 million dollars in the coming years to the PBF and highlighted Japan's contributions to peace-building activities.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed gratitude for efforts to arrange the conference and stressed the importance of UN peacebuilding activities and results of past initiatives. He urged further contributions from various countries. As a result of various countries pledging contribution urged, in total approximately 150 million dollars were promised over the next three years.

(8) Japan-CARICOM Ministerial-Level Conference (September 21) 

Minister Kishida served as a co-chair with the Hon. Sir Louis Hilton Straker, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, for the Fifth Japan-CARICOM Ministerial-Level Conference. 
At the meeting, Minister Kishida stated that CARICOM and Japan share fundamental values such as the rule of law and democracy, and have built an amicable and cooperative relationship over many years. He stated that Japan is steadily implementing support for CARICOM based on the three pillars of Japan's CARICOM Policy, announced by Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister, in 2014. including ODA graduate country assistance and cooperation to help overcome vulnerabilities of CARICOM countries in the fields of environment, disaster risk reduction, fisheries and energy. He also noted that mutual exchanges between Japan and CARICOM are increasing at various level and stated his hopes to further strengthen the relationship in the future. 
The CARICOM side expressed their gratitude for the assistance especially of the one Japan extends to ODA graduate countries and encouraged further exchanges between CARICOM and Japan. 
The discussion also covered climate change, sustainable use of living marine resources, international cooperation for disaster management and risk reduction, United Nations Security Council Reform and the state of affairs in Asia, and Japan and CARICOM confirmed that they will continue to cooperate in the international arena.

Minister Kishida held Foreign Ministers' meetings with eight countries (the ROK, Australia, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, and Russia). He shared views on bilateral affairs and other matters with these countries and also explained Japan's position on regional situations and global issues and discussed cooperation in international affairs. 

(1) Japan-ROK Foreign Ministers' Meeting (September 18) 

The two Ministers conducted a frank exchange of views mainly on the North Korea  issues and agreed to continue cooperating in international venues, including the Security Council, to reinforce pressure on North Korea. They also briefly shared views on  Japan-ROK relations, including follow-up to the agreement from the end of last year from the standpoint of the importance of building  solid future-oriented relations,  in dealing with the North Korea  issues. 

(2) Japan-Australia Foreign Ministers' Meeting (September 19) 

The two Ministers confirmed their intention to strengthen the Special Strategic Partnership between Japan and Australia in security and defense cooperation, economic, and other areas. For security and defense cooperation, the two Ministers also welcomed that the Governments of Japan and Australia had decided to review the Japan-Australia Acquisition and Cross-servicing Agreement (ACSA) and agreed to continue coordination for Japan's hosting of Japan-Australia Joint Foreign and Defense Ministerial Consultations ("2+2"). The two Ministers exchanged views on regional affairs such as the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and North Korea and confirmed their intention to continue close coordination.

(3) Japan-Ethiopia Foreign Ministers' Meeting (September 19) 

The two Ministers agreed that Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI), the first TICAD held in Africa, resulted in success, and also exchanged views on the economy, economic cooperation, and cooperation in international arena. As Ethiopia will assume non-permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council from next year, the two sides exchanged views on bilateral cooperation in the international arena, including the United Nations Security Council reform.

(4) Japan-Saudi Arabia Foreign Ministers' Meeting (September 19) 

The two Ministers confirmed that they will make efforts to realize cooperation in wide-ranging fields in the future based on the outcomes of the recent visit to Japan by H.R.H. Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They also shared the view that they would work together toward the issuing of multiple-entry visas in order to vitalize people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
The two Ministers also exchanged views on the situation in East Asia, including North Korea, as well as the situation in the Middle East, such as ISIL and the situation in Syria. They shared the view that it was important for Japan and Saudi Arabia to pay attention to regional affairs surrounding each country. 

(5) Japan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' Meeting (September 20)

Minister Kishida explained that Japan intended to actively support Pakistan's counterterrorism efforts, and he proposed holding a bilateral dialogue in order to discuss specific measures for combating terrorism. In response, Advisor to the Prime Minister Aziz welcomed the proposal to discuss counterterrorism and expressed Pakistan's resolve to implement measures to fight terrorism.
  Minister Kishida stated that Japan was paying attention to Pakistan's young workforce and massive market, along with explaining that he hoped to follow up the "Pakistan-Japan Government Business Joint Dialogue" held in November last year in order to achieve active bilateral economic relations, and he requested that Pakistan would ensure the safety of Japanese companies' personnel and Official Development Assistance (ODA) personnel. Advisor to the Prime Minister Aziz explained that Pakistan's economy had recovered and that trade and investment opportunities were increasing, and he hoped to strengthen bilateral public-private relations and expand trade and investment between the two countries.

(6) Japan-Indonesia Foreign Ministers' Meeting (September 20) 

On bilateral relations, the two Ministers agreed on securing the participation of Japanese companies in building Patimban Port, concrete capacity building support in the maritime security field, and strengthening cooperation in countering terrorism.
The two foreign ministers also exchanged views on the South China Sea, North Koreas, and other issues and confirmed for the South China Sea situation that they would cooperate while pursuing mutual communication for peaceful settlement of disputes based on international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).For North Korea, the two Ministers shared the view that they would call on North Korea to fulfill the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. 

(7) Japan-United Kingdom Foreign Ministers' Meeting (September 20) 

This was the first meeting between Minister Kishida and the Rt. Hon. Mr. Boris Johnson MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the UK, since Secretary Johnson assumed this position in July, and the two Ministers confirmed their intent to closely cooperate in further strengthening the relation between Japan and the UK. In particular, they confirmed that they would further promote security and defense cooperation and shared the view to proceed with coordination to hold the next Japan-UK Foreign and Defence Ministers' Meeting ("2+2"), at an early date in 2017.   
Regarding the UK's exit from the EU, Minister Kishida requested that that due consideration be given to requests from Japanese companies, Secretary Johnson highly appreciated the message submitted by Japan on the UK's exit from the EU, and said that he completely agreed with Minister Kishida's idea. Both Ministers also exchanged views on regional situations, including North Korea and the South China Sea. 

(8) Japan-Russia Foreign Ministers' Meeting (September 21) 

The two sides shared the view that ahead of the visit to Japan by H.E. Mr. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of the Russian Federation, which is scheduled for December, they will energetically proceed with preparations in fields such as politics, including the issue of concluding a peace treaty, and economics. 
As one step in the preparations for this presidential visit to Japan, it was decided that coordination will take place to bring about a visit to Russia by Minister Kishida, while considering the circumstances of the Diet, before the presidential visit to Japan. Additionally, the two sides confirmed that preparations in the economic field will also move ahead by having Mr. Igor Ivanovich Shuvalov, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, visit Japan and holding a meeting of the Japan-Russia Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Issues in Tokyo by November. Furthermore, from the standpoint of achieving even closer dialogue between the diplomatic authorities, the two sides shared the view that a schedule will be coordinated for a Japan-Russia Strategic Dialogue. 
Regarding the issue of concluding a peace treaty, Minister Kishida emphasized the need to try to advance the issue of concluding a peace treaty. The two foreign ministers confirmed that preparations will also move ahead with regard to this issue in the run-up to the presidential visit to Japan. 
The two Ministers confirmed regarding the situations in North Korea that Japan and Russia will collaborate, including at the United Nations, beginning with efforts to adopt a new UN Security Council resolution. 
expressed the view that relevant countries should make efforts to realize the ceasefire and humanitarian access, and he called on Russia to make a constructive response also.

Minister Kishida shared views with representatives from Japanese companies operating in New York on the political and economic situation in the United States, the Japan-US economic relationship, and other issues.