The security environment of the region around Japan has become more challenging than before. North Korea continues nuclear and missile development, including uranium enrichment activities, in violation of the Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks of September 2005 and the relevant UNSC Resolutions. Despite strong calls from the international community for North Korea to exercise self-control, North Korea proceeded with the launches of a missile which it called satellite launchings in April 2012 and December 2012 followed by a nuclear test in February 2013. These acts of provocation presented grave challenges to the peace and stability of the region including Japan, as well as the entire international community. Furthermore, China’s moves to strengthen its defense capabilities, which lack transparency, and her intensified maritime activities are of concern to the region and the wider international community. Additionally, although gradual, Russia has also been pushing through military reforms. Following the recovery of its economy, Russia has been modernizing its military capabilities and has become increasingly active in the Far East. Moreover, Japan has witnessed the occurrence of various incidents that threaten the territories and sovereignty of the country. On top these developments, Japan is required to address global issues--including non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and missiles, international terrorism, maritime piracy, large scale disasters and cyber-attacks--that are extremely difficult for a single country alone to manage.
　In order for Japan to respond to such security issues while maintaining its territorial integrity, protecting the lives and properties of Japanese citizens, and ensuring sustainable prosperity, development and stability of the international community, Japan must develop and implement a multifaceted security policy to address not only traditional but also non-traditional threats.
　Most importantly, Japan must be proactive in its efforts. It is imperative that Japan maintains an agile defense force, which will enable more effective deterrence and response and allow Japan to more effectively contribute to further stabilizing the security environment of the Asia-Pacific region and improving the global security environment.
　Secondly, ensuring the forward deployment of the U.S. Forces based on the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty and thereby strengthening the deterrence of the Japan-U.S. Security Arrangements are essential not only for the security of Japan but also for the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Japan and the U.S. have been promoting cooperation in such wide-ranking areas as an extended deterrence, Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD), and maritime, space and cyberspace affairs. In terms of the operation of the Japan Self Defense Force and the U.S. forces, both governments have agreed to enhance bilateral security and defense cooperation, including joint training, joint surveillance and reconnaissance activities, as well as joint and shared use of facilities. The Realignment of the U.S. forces in Japan needs to be steadily implemented to ensure the stable use of facilities and areas for the U.S. forces. In order to achieve steady progress in the Realignment in a timely manner, Japan and the U.S. decided to adjust the realignment plans and to delink the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps from Okinawa to Guam and resulting land returns of the south of Kadena Air Base from progress on the Futenma Replacement Facility as stated in the April, 2012 Joint Statement of the U.S.-Japan Consultative Committee (so-called “2+2”). Both governments are determined to reduce the impact on local communities including Okinawa, while maintaining deterrence, by steadily implementing the existing agreements including the April, 2012 “2+2” Joint Statement.
　Thirdly, it is also necessary to build multilayered security cooperation relations. It is crucial that Japan promotes bilateral cooperation with the ROK and Australia, which are fellow U.S. allies and countries that share fundamental values and interests, and advances trilateral cooperation under the Japan-U.S.-ROK and Japan-U.S.-Australia frameworks. As for its relationships with the UK, France, etc., Japan has been pursuing cooperative relationships, particularly in the field of defense equipment. Moreover, it is important that Japan strives to strengthen relations with the countries with which it shares interests in maritime security including freedom of navigation. It is also important to enhance cooperative relations with China, Russia which are major powers in the region. In addition to the above, Japan intends to make the most of multilateral regional cooperative frameworks such as EAS, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) to strengthen multilayered cooperative relations within these individual frameworks.
　The safety and prosperity of Japan cannot be attained by simply improving the security environment around Japan, but is dependent on the peace and stability of the international community. Today the issues faced by the international community--such as regional conflicts, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and missiles, poverty, famine, infectious deceases, and other global issues--continue to diversify. Led by the determination to ensure the safety and prosperity of Japan by addressing these issues, Japan has been proactively working toward the resolution of various global issues.
　The seamless efforts toward peace-building are crucial for the peace and stability of the international community. These efforts range the entire process from the peace keeping and emergency humanitarian assistance for the prevention of the recurrence of conflicts and the development of foundations for sustainable peace in post-conflict regions to the promotion of peace processes, the maintenance of security and the reconstruction and development. Japan has been addressing peace-building as one of its major diplomatic agenda. Japan’s peacekeeping and peace-building efforts include proactive cooperation with the UN PKO, on-the-ground activities utilizing ODA, contribution to the UN and training for human resources development.

　Terrorism and transnational organized crime such as trafficking in persons, drug trafficking, cybercrime, money laundering, have become serious security threats to the international community with globalization, the sophistication of information and communication technologies and increased movement of people. Terrorism and transnational organized crime not only compromise the national and public safety, but also have a serious impact on Japan’s economic activities including investment, tourism and trade. Japan regards these crimes as its own problems and provides assistance to those nations with vulnerable legislative and regulatory systems to improve their capacity to address these issues. At the same time, Japan proactively strives to strengthen measure to counterterrorism and transnational organized crime through cooperation with the international community in various fields including strengthening of the international legal frameworks.
　Furthermore, in the midst of the growing importance of space from diplomatic and security perspectives, Japan has been proactively tackling on the issues concerning the use of space for both civil and security aspects.
　Japan has been proactively pursuing initiatives designed to realize “a world without nuclear weapons.” As the only nation to have suffered an atomic bombing, these policies allow Japan to fulfill its mission of conveying the devastation caused by nuclear weapons to the world. At the same time, these policies enable Japan to attain the definitive goal of improving the security environment surrounding Japan. Under the framework of NPDI, a cross-regional group established chiefly by Japan and Australia in September 2010, the fourth and fifth foreign ministers’ meetings were held in June and September 2012, respectively. These foreign ministers’ meetings facilitated substantial discussion of important issues in the areas of disarmament and non-proliferation, including increasing transparency on nuclear weapons and the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT). Additionally, Japan once again submitted its annual resolution on nuclear disarmament to the UN General Assembly in 2012, which was entitled “United action towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons.” As was the cased in 2011, this resolution received a record of 99 co-sponsor nations and was adopted with an overwhelming majority. In August, Japan and the United Nations University jointly hosted the Global Forum on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education in Nagasaki City. The forum was attended by a wide variety of both international and domestic participants including international organizations, experts, civil society and media, allowing them to share the recognition of the importance of education on disarmament and non-proliferation. The forum also provided an opportunity for participants to discuss the methods of promoting cooperation between various actors and further developing the initiatives.
　At the same time, it is necessary for the international community to work together for strengthening global governance in order to address complex issues. It is also imperative to strengthen the functions of the UN in a manner which reflects the reality of the current international community such as the rise of emerging countries and the increased number of the UN Member States. With this understanding, Japan seeks to realize the UN reform in a timely manner, especially the Security Council reform, and plays a leading role in international organizations including the UN, while making human resource contributions as well as financial contributions.
　The establishment of the “rule of law” in the international community is crucial for stabilizing relations among countries, achieving peaceful settlement of disputes, and advancing good governance within countries. Japan regards the establishment of the “rule of law” in the international community as one of the pillars of its foreign policy and is actively implementing various efforts towards this end. The establishment of “rule of law” is also important from the viewpoints of maintaining Japan’s territorial integrity, securing maritime and economic interests, and protecting Japanese citizens.
　Human rights and fundamental freedom are universal values and it is the basic responsibility of states to protect and promote these values. At the same time, it is legitimate issue of concern for the entire international community. Moreover, the establishment of a peaceful and prosperous society and the realization of peace and stability within the international community require these values to be fully guaranteed within each country. In order to improve human rights throughout the world, Japan focuses on bilateral dialogue and cooperation as a means of addressing the issue in a way that takes into account the particularities and the cultural and historical backgrounds of each country or region. From the perspective of improving human rights in each country, initiatives in multinational venues such as the UN including the Human Rights Council are crucial. As such, Japan has been proactively pursuing cooperation with the international community.