Statement by H. E. Dr Kuniko Inoguchi,
Head of the Delegation of JAPAN

At the Fourth Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction

17 September, 2002
Geneva

Mr President,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Allow me at the outset to congratulate you on your assumption of the presidency of the Fourth Meeting of the States Parties to the Mine Ban Convention. I am confident that, under your leadership, this meeting will realize the goals it has set forth to achieve.

It is a great honour for me to participate in the Fourth Meeting of the States Parties to the Ottawa Convention in Geneva, and to be given this opportunity to speak on behalf of the Japanese government. I would like to express my deep admiration and appreciation to the Swiss government for hosting this meeting and for their kind hospitality. I also wish to express my sincere gratitude to the United Nations staff, NGOs and the many others who have been involved in organizing this meeting.

Mr President,
Three and half years have passed since the Ottawa Convention came into force and the number of States Parties to this Convention has now reached 126. We have already had four States Parties meetings, and can say with confidence that mine-eliminating activities have taken a firm hold in international society. It is nonetheless true that many problems have not yet been solved and today I would like to point out three of the principal tasks which lie ahead of us.

Firstly, efforts to universalize the Convention. We are pleased to note that the number of States Parties has been increasing. However, efforts to universalize the Convention must still be continued. I am convinced of the importance of concrete actions in each region. Japan has been calling upon non-ratifiers, especially Asian countries, to accede to the Ottawa Convention and, this May, Japan was co-sponsor to the regional seminar on universalization of the Convention in Bangkok. I would like to express my gratitude to the governments of Thailand and Australia, among others, for their co-operation. Japan hopes to continue to work together with neighbouring countries to create a regional environment enabling as many countries as possible to accede to the Convention. Japan intends to continue to call particularly upon those countries who still possess a large amount of landmines.

I would also like to express my deepest admiration and appreciation to the governments of Angola and Afghanistan for their decision to join the Convention, despite difficulties following the internal war. Following Angola's lead, Afghanistan is currently taking steps to become a State Party to the Convention. We extend a warm welcome to both countries.

Mr President,
Our second task involves the enhancement of mime-eliminating activities. Next year is the deadline for the first group of States Parties to destroy all stockpiled anti-personal mines. The First Review Conference will be held in 2004. In order to realize a universal and effective ban on anti-personal landmimes, we need to concentrate our efforts more on the anti-humanitarian aspect of landmimes and try to gather more momentum for our activities.

It is essential that every State Party promote the universalization of the Convention, putting the sprit of the Convention into practice.

In order to solve landmine problems, human, technological and economical resources should be used to gather such momentum. It is important to reinforce not only governmental activities, but also those of civil society. The Japanese government is working together with civil society to achieve the objectives of the Zero Victims initiative. Japan pledged financial assistance in the five years following 1998, amounting to a total of around 10 billion Yen. In four and half years, from 1998 to 2002, Japan has provided financial assistance amounting to around 9.6 billion Yen to 25 affected countries, areas and international organizations for mine clearance, victim assistance, mine awareness and other mine action activities. This includes a US$ 19,220,000 contribution through United Nations organs and other bodies for mine action activities in Afghanistan this January, as well as a 798,000,000 Yen grant aid to Cambodia for mine clearance activities this June. Regarding safe and speedy landmine-clearance activities in Afghanistan, the Japanese Government took the initiative of developing technology for the detection and clearance of landmines. I look forward to Japan applying its high technology to new development initiatives in order to make an even greater contribution in this area for safe, speedy and ecological landmine clearance.

Mr President,
Thirdly, I would like to emphasize the importance of political will and efforts to implement the Convention in order to eliminate the tragedy of landmine accidents. I would especially like to emphasis the need for donor countries, affected countries, international organizations and NGOs to build a firm partnership and provide effective assistance.

Japan intends to provide assistance to those in need in order to resolve their landmine problems. Such assistance, however, should primarily flow to those who have agreed to eradicate anti-personnel landmines. Each State Party shall implement obligations of the Convention on its own initiative and political will. Japan is willing to provide assistance to such countries wherever possible.

Japan will complete the destruction of its stockpile of anti-personal landmines in February 2003. Japan intends to implement all obligations of the Convention, including co-operation and assistance to States Parties. We will make greater efforts so that people suffering from landmines are able to live in safety.

Mr President,
Lastly, I highly appreciate the initiative of the government of Thailand in hosting the Fifth Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention. Because of the long border line and past war, a lot of mines were laid in Thailand and many local people suffered and were injured as a result. I can imagine that it was not an easy decision for Thailand to become a State Party to the Convention and to decide to host the Fifth Meeting. Japan intends to give its full support to Thailand over the following year, and looks forward to a successful meeting. Following the Third Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention in Managua, the movement among Latin American countries to overcome landmine problems has become much more active. As for the Asian Pacific Region, the Fifth Meeting of the States Parties in Bangkok will provide an excellent opportunity to work towards overcoming landmine problems on a global scale.

Thank you .