International Measures and Japanese Assistance for Dealing with Drug Issues

21 May 2001

The Current State of Drug Issues and Japan's Basic Stance

Narcotics and other psychotropic drugs are a serious issue of global proportions. They represent an important issue which the international community should address in unison. In particular, the abuse of stimulants in recent times is showing a trend toward global expansion. Japan is cooperating with international efforts, attaching importance to the area of anti-stimulant abuse.

1. Drug-Related Conventions

Improvements to drug-related conventions have been advanced with the intention of enhancing international countermeasures for drugs. The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs was adopted in 1961, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances in 1971 and the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances in 1988, and countries are encouraged to promote the early ratification of these conventions. (Japan has already ratified the three conventions listed above)

2. United Nations

(1) The Commission on Narcotic Drugs

The Commission on Narcotic Drugs is composed of 53 member countries and organized as a subordinate agency of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The Commission on Narcotic Drugs is an organization that oversees the fulfillment of drug related conventions and determines policy on drug controls, including recommendations concerning enhancing drug controls. Japan has continually been a member of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs since 1961.

(2) International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)

The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) continually evaluates and oversees how countries implement international drug control treaties. INCB is composed of 13 board members, who serve in their personal capacity, elected in ECOSOC.

(3) United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP)

The United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) was established in 1991 as a United Nations organization to deal with drug issues in a comprehensive and united manner. It plays the following roles:

1. Assists member countries with the implementation of drug control conventions
2. Coordinates the international community concerning international drug control
3. Acts as the secretariat of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the INCB

The UNDCP's headquarters is located in Vienna with local offices in 22 of the world's principal drug-producing countries. The UNDCP has approximately 200 staff, of whom 4 are Japanese.

Since the UNDCP's establishment, Japan has continued to make voluntary financial contributions. Japan will endeavor to continue these contributions despite its harsh domestic fiscal situation. (In FY2000, Japan contributed U.S.$3.379 million)

(4) United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Drugs

Between 8 and 10 June 1998, the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Drugs (Special Session on Drugs) was held aimed at formulating a new strategy on drugs. Many leaders attended the Special Session on Drugs, including President Bill Clinton of the United States of America, President Jacques Chirac of the French Republic and Prime Minister Romano Prodi of the Republic of Italy. Former Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Masahiko Koumura attended from Japan and appealed to the world on the importance of combating stimulants and their abuse by the younger generation, and other matters.

Furthermore, the political declaration and its appendix were unanimously adopted at the Special Session. The political declaration represents the results of previous preparatory conferences and should serve as the guidelines for global measures against drugs for the 21st century.

3. G8 Summit

Since drug issues were taken up in the 1986 G7 Summit in Tokyo, enhancement of international cooperation has been emphasized in the chairman's statement at summits and various measures have been implemented accordingly.

At the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit, the G8 Communiqué Okinawa 2000 stated that international cooperation against drugs and the illicit diversion of precursor chemicals would be enhanced and that ad hoc meetings of drug experts would be held. In December, the G8 Ad-Hoc Meeting of Drug Experts was held in Miyazaki as a follow-up to the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit. (See below for further details)

4. Consultation Mechanism between Industrialized Nations on Drug Issues

(1) Dublin Group Meetings

The Dublin Group Meetings were inaugurated in Dublin in June 1990 and aimed at deepening mutual understanding on issues such as drug-related assistance policies and coordinating these policies among the major industrialized nations.

Members of the Dublin Group consist of Japan, the United States of America, Canada, Australia, the Kingdom of Norway, 15 European Union (EU) countries, the UNDCP, the European Commission and the Secretariat of the Council of the European Union. Information is exchanged and discussion held for the harmonization of drug-related assistance policies and other issues at the plenary meetings twice yearly.

(2) Mini-Dublin Group Meetings

In response to a proposal at the Dublin Group Meetings that consultations of a similar tenor be implemented among the embassies of member countries located in drug-producing nations, meetings termed Mini-Dublin Group Meetings are being held in various drug-producing nations and other countries.

5. International Drug-Related Organizations Besides the UNDCP

Below follows an outline of Japan's contributions made through international organizations, other than the UNDCP, related to combating drugs.

(1) Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF)

The Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) was inaugurated on the basis of a mandate in the Arche Summit in 1989 for the purpose of examining measures for preventing money laundering in financial institutions. Japan's contributions in FY2000 amounted to 1.265 million French francs.

(2) The Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) of the Organization of American States (OAS)

Based on a recognition that illicit use and trafficking of narcotics in the American States impede economic and social development and represent a threat to the security of each country, the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) of the Organization of American States (OAS) was established for the purpose of preventing the illicit use and trafficking of narcotics through intra-regional cooperation. Japan's donations in FY2000 amounted to US$155,000.

(3) The Colombo Plan, the Drug Advisory Programme (DAP)

The Colombo Plan is an organization that aims to promote economic and social development and improve living standards in developing countries in the Asia Pacific region primarily through technical cooperation. The Drug Advisory Programme (DAP) was established within the Colombo Plan and its activities include the promotion of intra-regional cooperation, the provision of information for and dispatching of lecturers to conferences and training courses, cooperation with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and assistance in the development of experts. Japan's donations in FY2000 amounted to U.S.$70,000.

6. Promotion of Bilateral Cooperation

(1) Training

"The Seminar on Control of Drug Offenses" (National Police Agency, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)) and the "Group Training Course on Drug Abuse Prevention Activities" (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, JICA) are held to develop human resources.

(2) Grant Aid

In July 1998, the Government of Japan exchanged notes with the Union of Myanmar on grant aid up to 800 million yen in order to contribute to implementing a plan for increased food production instrumental in the production of crops as an alternative to narcotics. Furthermore, in November 1998, the Government of Japan exchanged notes with the Republic of Peru on non-project grant aid totaling 1 billion yen primarily for the purchase of materials requisite for implementing the "Project on the Eradication of Narcotics." In December 1999, the Japanese Government exchanged notes with Peru for grant aid up to 500 million yen in order to contribute to implementing a plan for increased food production, including the production of crops as an alternative to narcotics.

(3) Grant Aid for Grassroots Projects

At overseas establishments, the Government of Japan implements assistance for primary and secondary education, vocational training, assistance for cultivating alternative crops through development of irrigation facilities, support for the rehabilitation of drug addicts and other assistance conducive to combating drugs. In FY1999, Japan implemented grant aid for grass-roots projects amounting to 77.72 million yen.

7. Other International Cooperation

(1) Anti-Drug Conferences, Tokyo 2000

These conferences were held in Tokyo in January 2000 and attended by approximately 130 participants, representing anti-drug organizations from 37 countries and regions mainly in the Asia Pacific region.

As a result of these conferences, a communiqué was adopted advocating the promotion of international cooperation among drug-related organizations, including cooperation on measures for combating stimulants in the Asia-Pacific region.

(2) G8 Ad-Hoc Meeting of Drug Experts in Miyazaki

The G8 Ad-Hoc Meeting of Drug Experts was held in Miyazaki from 13 to 15 December 2000 and attended by approximately 60 experts from G8 countries and from the UNDCP.

In his keynote speech at the Opening Session, Ryutaro Hashimoto, President of the Federation of Japanese Parliamentarians to Fight Against Abuse of Narcotics and ATS (amphetamine-type stimulants), described the threat of stimulants and stressed the need for measures against them.

During the meeting, discussion was held on measures against stimulants and other synthetic drugs, as well as regulations on precursor materials. Modalities for future G8 cooperation on drug issues were organized in the Chairman's Summary.

(3) The Asia-Pacific Law Enforcement Conference against Transnational Organized Crime

This conference was held in Tokyo in January 2001 and attended by approximately 230 participants, including high-ranking law enforcement officials, from over 30 countries and regions mainly in Asia. Discussions were held regarding such areas as firearms control, anti-drug measures and countermeasures for cyber-crime, and a declaration reaffirming the importance of organized crime countermeasures was adopted.

(4) International Drug Control Summit

The International Drug Control Summit is an informal conference at which parliamentarians from the United States and Europe concerned with drugs convene. It has been held once annually since 1998.

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