Top > Foreign Policy > Japan and the United Nations > UN PKO and other International Peace Cooperation > Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Mr. Masahiko Koumura "Japan: A Builder of Peace" (Outline)

Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Masahiko Koumura
"Japan: A Builder of Peace"
(Outline)

January 24, 2008
At the Symposium "Building Peace - Japan and UN"
Full Text
Japanese

[Main Messages]

  • Japan needs a world where people, materials, money, and intellect and information move and flow freely. To that end, it must make efforts in peacebuilding.
  • Japan's efforts towards peacebuilding include activities on the ground such as ODA and personnel deployment, intellectual contribution and human resource development.
  • In addition to its specialty, contributions through ODA, Japan will make active efforts in areas related to the recovery of security, such as peace mediation, personnel deployment to peacekeeping and multilateral operations, including the adoption of a general law to facilitate such activities, and new modes of financial assistance.

(The speech compares peacebuilding to the flow of a great river.)

1. Introduction - My experience in Cambodia

  • Experience in Cambodian peace negotiations: realization of the need for efforts at peacebuilding

2. Where to engage in the great river of peacebuilding?

  • The year 2008: A momentous year for Japan in peacebuilding
    : Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) and G8 Summit
  • Various possible areas of engagement for Japan in peacebuilding
    : To make Japan's image that of a country dedicated to peacebuilding

3. Why peacebuilding?

  • A world where people, materials, money, and intellect and information move and flow freely is essential for Japan

4. Beginning with human resource development

  • Launch of the Pilot Program for Human Resource Development for Peacebuilding; intention to make it a full-scale project

5. Case study: Mindanao - achievements and limits

6. What are the limits and how do we overcome them?

  • New modes of financial assistance: peacekeeping centers in Africa and Chadian police
  • Further engagement in peacekeeping operations: personnel deployment of Self-Defense Forces and civilian police

7. Determination to adopt a general law

  • More active efforts for personnel deployment under the current system and the adoption of a general law to facilitate such activities
  • Increase in the amount of funds devoted to Japan's specialty, ODA

8. In conclusion

  • To create the following images of Japan: "Japan is a country that does its best for peacebuilding"; "peacebuilding is a job at which Japan excels".
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