Press Releases
Inaugural Ministerial Meeting of “Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers” (GoF on S4)
September 28, 2026
On September 25 (local time), Mr. KAIHARA Kentaro, Ambassador in Charge of UN Affairs of Japan, participated in the Inaugural Ministerial Meeting of “Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers” (GoF on S4) in New York.
- Ambassador KAIHARA stated that the rule of law and freedom of navigation are of paramount importance for the safety and security of shipping and seafarers, and that from this perspective, maintenance and promotion of a free and open maritime order based on the rule of law, with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as its cornerstone, constitutes one of the central pillars of the updated "Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)". Ambassador KAIHARA also referred to Japan's efforts in counter-piracy operations, and highlighted the importance of restoring free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Bab el Mandeb as a matter of urgency, as well as ensuring Ukraine's grain exports through free navigation in the Black Sea. He expressed Japan's commitment to working closely with the international community, including the United Nations, to ensure the safety of shipping and seafarers worldwide.
- The participants exchanged views on the importance of international law, including UNCLOS, in ensuring the safety of seafarers, the need for coordination with international organizations mainly through the International Maritime Organization (IMO), in ensuring the safety of seafarers, and on efforts to protect the human rights and welfare of seafarers.
(Reference1) Attachment
(Reference2) The Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers
A group that India and Liberia propose to establish as an inclusive platform on maritime safety, in response to attacks on merchant vessels occurring around the globe, resulting in casualties among seafarers.