Statement by Mr. Akio Miyajima
Ambassador in charge of UN Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan,
at the International Conference on the Strengthening of Regional Cooperation to Promote Democracy,
Community of Democracy WG on Regional Cooperation

April, 2011
Japanese

Madam Chairperson,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

At the outset of my statement, I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude, on behalf of the Government of Japan, to all of the countries who have provided the assistance in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. Japan is now making its utmost efforts to overcome this unprecedented hardship and to recover as quickly as possible. At the same time, Japan will steadily continue to play a role in various international challenges including the promotion of democracy, which is the main agenda of today's conference.

It is my great pleasure to participate in the Working Group on Regional Cooperation today and to share with you Japan's efforts in the Asian region. I would also like to express my deepest respect to the co-chairs of this working group, the Republic of Korea and Romania, for their leadership in facilitating this working group.

The Community of Democracies celebrated the tenth anniversary of foundation last year and established 6 Working Groups. I expect that through the activities of these working groups, the Community of Democracies can strengthen its work for the promotion of democracy.

Democracy is the most significant means to securing universal values such as human rights and fundamental freedoms, and to realizing a peaceful, stable and prosperous society. Japan, as a nation which has achieved peace and prosperity based on democracy after the Second World War, has also actively contributed to the peace, stability and prosperity of the Asian region. In its efforts, Japan has always paid close attention to the diversity of Asian countries in such aspects as their political systems, stages of economic growth, religions, cultures and traditions.

In light of the experiences with democracy in the Asian region, and in order to further promote democracy, Japan attaches particular importance to the following 3 elements: firstly, stability and prosperity through economic growth; secondly, promotion of regional cooperation; and thirdly, securing regional stability. For the purpose of sharing Japan's good practices, allow me to introduce Japan's main activities in the Asian region with regard to each element I have mentioned.

1. Stability and prosperity through economic growth

Stability and prosperity through economic growth provide the foundation of democracy. Bearing this basic thinking in mind, Japan has contributed to stability and prosperity through economic growth through provision of Official Development Assistance (ODA) and other means. Specifically, Japan has implemented a broad range of projects in areas such as provision of infrastructure, legal system, institutions and human resources, based on the human security approach, which aims at establishing a society where each individual can realize in dignity their rich potential. Japan has been assisting basic capacity building needed for economic activities, by empowering people to address threats as well as protecting them from threats. In implementing such assistance, Japan has been paying full attention to the promotion of democratization, the efforts to introduce a market-oriented economy, and the protection of basic human rights and freedom under the principle of assistance based on the ODA Charter.

(Cambodia)

In Cambodia, the entire legal system was destroyed due to the Civil War which began in the 1970s and lasted for over 20 years. The Government of Japan started a project for development of the legal system in 1999 and has been extending assistance for the drafting and legislation of the Civil Code and the Code of Civil Procedures, as well as for training legal professionals so that they can properly apply and implement law. In addition, in order to improve the investment environment, Japan has supported Cambodia in its efforts to improve the public welfare by extending assistances such as the provision of hard and soft infrastructure to the Southern Economic Corridor and by promoting cooperation through the framework of public-private sector joint meetings.

Furthermore, in order to encourage Cambodia to make further efforts for reform, Japan has supported its efforts to improve the human rights situation through multiple international frameworks such as conducting a bilateral human rights dialogue, submitting a resolution on the human rights situation in Cambodia to the Human Rights Council and providing human and financial resources to the Khmer Rouge (KR) trial.

At the same time, for example, Japan has been working on capacity building of individuals, which is essential in establishing a mature democracy. For example, Japan supported the realization of the return of many children to formal education through "Non-formal basic education and vocational skill training for children and young at risk" project through the UN Trust Fund for Human Security which was established under the initiative of Japan.

(China)

China is home to the largest population in Asia and experiencing remarkable economic growth. Japan also has provided aids to support its economic growth in various fields including the development of the legal system since 1978, when China adopted reform and open policy. It is strongly expected that China, as a responsible power, will continue to make progress on the issues of democracy and human rights.

2. Promotion of Regional Cooperation

In recent year there has been remarkable progress in Asia in cross-border cooperation on a scale that can be described without question as "regional cooperation". This type of cooperative effort acts a very significant and effective tool when countries facing various challenges jointly advance democracy by sharing expertise and experiences.

(Bali Democracy Forum)

First of all, I would like to touch upon two remarkable initiatives concerning democracy under way in Asia. One is the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights established in 2009 in accordance with the ASEAN Charter which reaffirmed the principle of democracy. The other is the Bali Democracy Forum initiated by Indonesia, which is playing a role in promoting regional cooperation as this year's ASEAN president.

Indonesia can be described as a role model for overcoming a number of political and economic challenges and steadily consolidating democracy. It is important for us to fully respect Asia's characteristic diversity, to share experiences with each other and to patiently continue discussions so that democracy can take firm root in Asia. Indonesia rightly focused on the importance of these points and is leading the Bali Democracy Forum. Japan highly values the Bali Democracy Forum as a mechanism for promoting democracy in Asia and supports Indonesia's such initiative.

In 2009 the Bali Democracy Forum was co-chaired by the then Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and H.E. Dr. H. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of Indonesia. Based on the thinking that open and transparent elections are essential to democracy, Japan hosted the "Election Visits Program" on the occasion of the House of Councilors election in July 2010. In addition, on the occasion of the Tokyo gubernatorial election which took place on April 10 this year, Japan invited 26 electoral working-level officials from 13 Asian countries to participate in the "Election Visits Program" and facilitated workshops on the Japanese electoral and administrative systems and study tours to polling stations.

(Assistances for Mekong region countries)

Japan attaches importance to assistances for the Mekong region countries, adhering to the philosophy that there is no stability and development of East Asia without stability and development in the Mekong region countries. ASEAN is promoting measures for increasing connectivity in the region aiming at completing regional integration in 2015 for the purpose of regional stability and development. For this goal, it is necessary to continue to provide support for narrowing the development gap between the more developed 6 ASEAN members and the less developed Mekong countries.

In concrete terms, Japan periodically holds Japan-Mekong summit meetings and foreign ministers' meetings. Moreover, for the comprehensive development of the Mekong region, Japan has been extending assistance for a variety of projects including the provision of both hard and soft infrastructure, institution building in the cross-regional economic system, measures for environmental issues and climate change, overcoming vulnerability such as infectious diseases and disaster prevention, and people-to-people exchanges.

(Myanmar)

In relation to the Mekong region, in Myanmar we have observed some positive steps, such as the holding of the general elections, the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the convening of the National Assembly. Bearing in mind that many challenges remain to be addressed, it is necessary for the Asian region as a whole to strongly encourage the Government of Myanmar to take further measures on its own initiative.

3. Securing peace and stability in the region.

It is needless to say that democracy cannot be achieved without peace and stability. From this point of view, Japan has deepened the Japan-U.S. Alliance, which serves as the linchpin of Japan's foreign and security policy as well as the public good for the stability and prosperity of the world. Japan, in close cooperation with the countries concerned and the international community, is making efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Asian region through the following measures:

(Human Resources Development for Peacebuilding)

Since 2007, Japan has launched the "Program for Human Resources Development in Asia for Peacebuilding" to strengthen the civilian capacity of Japan and other Asian countries. Approximately 160 civilians have participated in the courses under this program and many of those graduates are currently engaged in peace-building activities, serving in the field offices of UN agencies or UN peace-keeping mission in countries such as Afghanistan, Sudan, Sierra Leone and Timor-Leste.

(Afghanistan)

With regard to Afghanistan, Japan made a commitment to provide assistance up to an amount in the region of five billion US dollars in about five years from 2009. In keeping with this commitment, Japan has implemented various projects in the following three areas: (1) support for enhancing Afghanistan's capability to maintain security, (2) assistance for reintegration of grass root level soldiers, and (3) assistance for Afghanistan's sustainable and self-reliant development.

Moreover, regional efforts involving neighboring countries are important for the stability of Afghanistan. In this regard, Japan is providing assistance to the countries neighboring Afghanistan to enhance stability in the region. This includes assistance for counter-narcotics and strengthening border control in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Kyrgyz Republic, and assistance for Pakistan in the electric power sector for economic growth including power sector, poverty reduction, stabilizing the livelihood in the border regions and flood disaster restoration.

(Timor-Leste)

Japan has provided various types of assistance for reconstruction, peace-building and development, and humanitarian purposes to Timor-Leste since 1999. Over two years beginning in 2002, the Japan Self Defense Forces Engineer units and other personnel in total 2,300 members were dispatched to the peace-keeping mission in Timor-Leste. They carried out logistic support for UNMISET, including maintaining and repairing roads and bridges, and engaged in various projects to support public welfare. In addition, Japan has been actively supporting the efforts by Timor-Leste toward nation-building through dispatching election observers to the presidential and the parliamentary elections, as well as the Japan Self Defense Forces officials and the civilian police officers.

(Rule-making in the Asian Region)

It is also important to build shared rules for the Asian region, including the peaceful resolution of conflicts to secure peace and stability in the region for the future. From this year, Japan will be engaged in rule-making efforts in such areas as the freedom of maritime navigation and new public space including outer space and cyber-space, by utilizing the frameworks of regional cooperation including the East Asia Summit.

(North Korea)

As I have described, in the Asian region as a whole we are seeing positive developments. On the other hand, however, it is regrettable that we continue to observe that democracy has not taken root in every corner of the region. In North Korea, democracy has been denied and serious violations of human rights, including those related to the abduction issue remain to be addressed. We need to continue to draw the attention of the international community to the situation in North Korea. The Government of Japan, as a main sponsor, has proposed a resolution on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea both at the United Nations General Assembly and the Human Rights Council. It is encouraging to see a growing support for this resolution in the Asian region and the entire international community sending a clear message to North Korea.

(Conclusion)

Having observed a series of large-scale demonstrations and violence in the Middle East and North Africa in the past few months, we have once again recognized that it is crucial for each government to respect every individual, to carefully listen to the voice of civil society, and to make consistent efforts for political, economical and social reforms. At the same time, we have been reminded of the importance and value of democracy in assuring human rights and fundamental freedoms as universal values.

I would like to conclude my statement by expressing Japan's determination to continue to contribute to the promotion and expansion of democracy in each country and region of the world, building on the substantial number of good practices it has contributed thus far in the Asian region.