Press Releases
State Minister for Foreign Affairs HORII's Attendance at the “Workshop on Counter-Terrorism and Rule of Law in South Asia”
On December 2, Mr. HORII Iwao, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, attended the opening session of the “Workshop on Counter-Terrorism and Rule of Law in South Asia” which was held in Tokyo. The overview is as follows:
- At the outset, State Minister HORII welcomed the delegations from South Asian countries, representing the government and private sectors visiting Japan. He expressed gratitude to the co-organizers, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFEI), and the EU. He noted that this workshop, the third of its kind, represents an initiative to strengthen the “rule of law,” one of the pillars of Japan's foreign policy.
- State Minister HORII further pointed out that in recent years, terrorist organizations have intensified their recruitment particularly targeting youth, by spreading extremist ideology through digital spaces. He emphasized that this poses a significant threat to regions, including South Asia, where many young people utilize social media and online games. He stressed the necessity for governments, international organizations, private companies, and civil society groups to cooperate in countering this threat and expressed his hope that this workshop would contribute to enhancing each country's counter-terrorism capabilities.
- In response, participants expressed gratitude for the Japanese government's initiative in hosting the workshop and indicated their intention to continue cooperating with Japan to advance counter-terrorism measures and the rule of law.
(Reference1) Counter-Terrorism and Rule of Law Workshop
The workshop was launched in 2024 as part of Japan's efforts to promote and consolidate the “rule of law” in the international community. This year’s workshop targets Southeast Asia and South Asia and focuses on the theme “Regional Workshop on the Role of Youth in upholding the Rule of Law and enhancing Strategic Communications in the Digital Space to Prevent Violent Extremism in South Asia”. Participants are invited from South Asian countries (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Maldives), including representatives from counter-terrorism agencies, police authorities, and civil society (NGOs).
