Press Releases
Meeting between State Minister for Foreign Affairs Minoru Kiuchi and Vladimir Vladimirovich Golitsyn, President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
On November 8 (November 7 local time) State Minister for Foreign Affairs Minoru Kiuchi held a meeting with Judge Vladimir Vladimirovich Golitsyn, President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), in Hamburg, Germany. The overview is as follows.
1. State Minister Kiuchi congratulated President Golitsyn on his assumption of office on October 1 this year, and stated that the Government of Japan attached importance to “the rule of law” at sea and it would continue to support activities of ITLOS, having conveyed wish for the further development of ITLOS under President Golitsyn’s leadership.
2. In response, President Golitsyn expressed gratitude for the Government of Japan’s support for ITLOS and stated that it was encouraging to see steady increase of awareness toward the role and the importance of ITLOS in the international community as a result of the judicial activities of ITLOS in recent years.
(Reference) The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS)
1. ITLOS was established in Hamburg, Germany in 1996 in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Judge Vladimir Vladimirovich Golitsyn (a Russian national) was elected as President of ITLOS on October 1 this year (his predecessor was Judge Shunji Yanai). Thus far a total of 22 cases have been submitted to ITLOS and 12 judgments, 8 orders of provisional measures, and 1 advisory opinion have been delivered by ITLOS.
2. Japan is the largest financial contributor to ITLOS, and in 2014, Japan’s contribution to ITLOS’ budget was approximately 1.54 million euro (approximately 197 million yen, which is approximately 14.6% of overall budget of ITLOS). In addition, Japan has constantly produced judges for ITLOS since its establishment in 1996 (late Judge Soji Yamamoto (from 1996 to 2005); Judge Shunji Yanai (from 2005 to 2014, from 2014 to 2023, and ITLOS President from October 2011 until the end of September this year)).
3. Cases submitted to ITLOS that Japan has become a party to are the Southern Bluefin Tuna Cases (both 1999) concerning disputes between Japan and Australia and Japan and New Zealand over Japan’s research fishing; and the “Hoshinmaru” Case and “Tomimaru” Case (both 2007), in which Japan sought the release of Japanese fishing vessels arrested by Russia.