Japan and the United Nations

 (1) Meeting with Prime Minister Abe and joint press announcement 

On August 8, commencing at 9:20 a.m. for approximately sixty-five minutes, Prime Minister Abe held a meeting with Secretary-General Guterres. After the meeting, the two sides had a joint press announcement. 
Prime Minister Abe and Secretary-General Guterres, who flew together to Nagasaki by the Japanese government airplane, had frank exchange of views during the flight.

(a) Opening remarks

1. Prime Minister Abe welcomed Secretary-General Guterres on his visit to Japan since last December, and thanked the Secretary-General for his heart warming message and for offering support for the loss and damage caused by the heavy rain in western Japan. 
2. Prime Minister Abe welcomed Secretary-General Guterres as the first Secretary-General of the UN to attend the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony. Prime Minister Abe stated that Japan, the only nation in the world to be bombed with atomic weapons, stood ready to play a bridge building role between nuclear-weapon States and non-nuclear-weapon States in realizing "a world free of nuclear weapons" in cooperation with the United Nations. Secretary-General Guterres shared the Prime Minister's view, and explained his recent comprehensive disarmament agenda.

(b) North Korea

1. With regard to North Korea, Prime Minister Abe stated his expectation that the agreement between the United States and North Korea including North Korea's commitment towards complete denuclearization of Korean Peninsula, will be fully and expeditiously implemented.
2. The two sides shared the view that the international community needs to firmly maintain the full implementation of UN Security Council resolutions in order to urge North Korea to take concrete actions.
3. In addition, Prime Minister Abe again sought understanding and cooperation on the immediate resolution of the abductions issue, and Secretary-General Guterres expressed his support to the matter.

(c) United Nations reform

1. With regard to UN reform, Prime Minister Abe stated that he supported Secretary General Guterres' efforts to reform for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the UN, and would continue to closely cooperate with the UN.
2. Prime Minister Abe further stated that, along with UN reform, the reform of the UN Security Council was a matter of urgency, and expressed his expectation that the Secretary-General would exercise strong leadership on this matter. 

(d) Global and other issues

1. Prime Minister Abe and Secretary-General Guterres exchanged views on a wide range of other global issues.
2. Prime Minister Abe stated that Japan would address various issues in the international community, such as the promotion of SDGs including in the areas of education and health, in cooperation with the UN which was the core of multilateralism. 

(2) Breakfast meeting with Foreign Minister Kono

On August 9, commencing at 7:20 a.m. for approximately fifty minutes, Foreign Minister Kono, held a breakfast meeting in Nagasaki with Secretary-General Guterres. 

1. Foreign Minister Kono welcomed the Secretary-General's Agenda for Disarmament, which was expected to build up the momentum for advancing disarmament and non-proliferation. The Secretary-General expressed his appreciation. The two sides shared the view to cooperate on this matter.
2. The two sides also exchanged views on the reform of the UN. Foreign Minister Kono welcomed UN reform for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the UN. Foreign Minister Kono further stated that the reform of the Security Council was a matter of urgency and expressed his expectation that the Secretary-General would take initiatives on this matter.
3. The two sides held exchange of views on North Korea and shared the view that it was important for UN Member States to continue the full implementation of relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. 
4. The two sides exchanged views on a wide range of other global issues and regional issues.

(3) Major Events in Nagasaki

1. In the afternoon of August 8, Secretary-General Guterres respectively met with Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui and others. Secretary-General Guterres also met with Hibakusha, survivors of the atomic bombing which destroyed the city on August 9 1945. He also attended a dinner reception hosted by Nagasaki City.
2. On August 9, Secretary-General Guterres, as the first Secretary-General of the UN, attended the seventy-third Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony. Secretary-General Guterres laid a wreath and made a guest speech, in which, he introduced the disarmament agenda that was launched in May, and appealed the importance of efforts toward nuclear disarmament, and expressed his commitment to making Nagasaki the last place on earth to suffer nuclear devastation. 
3. Prior to attendance to the Ceremony, Secretary-General Guterres visited Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and the Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims. During his visit to the Museum,  Secretary-General Guterres had interacted with pupils of Nagasaki City Yamazato Elementary School, making a paper crane. In the press conference after the visit, Secretary-General Guterres delivered his message that it is a moral duty for everybody in the world to do everything to make sure Nagasaki will not happen again.

Tuesday, August 7 
Arrival in Tokyo

Wednesday, August 8
Meeting and joint press announcement with Prime Minister Abe
Departure from Tokyo, Arrival at Nagasaki(by the Japanese government aircraft)
Meeting with Nagasaki Mayor, Hiroshima Mayor and others 
Meeting with Hibakusha, the atomic bomb survivors
Dinner Reception hosted by Nagasaki City

Thursday, August 9   
Breakfast meeting with Foreign Minister Kono
Visit to Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum
Visit to the Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims and press conference
Attendance to the seventy-third Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony (at Peace Park)
Departure from Fukuoka