{"id":46,"date":"2007-01-24T17:29:32","date_gmt":"2007-01-24T08:29:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/test.hrn.or.jp\/?p=46"},"modified":"2023-10-25T09:44:30","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T00:44:30","slug":"unhcrc-japan-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hrn.or.jp\/eng\/news\/2007\/01\/24\/unhcrc-japan-visit\/","title":{"rendered":"Japan’s Human Rights Diplomacy: UNHCHR’s visit to Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

Press Release<\/font><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n


<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

On the occasion of the visit to Japan by Louis Arbour, the UN High
\nCommissioner for Human Rights, in the interests of Human Rights diplomacy, the
\nJapanese government is called on to Cooperate with the UN High Commissioner for
\nHuman Rights Urge Asian countries to take action on Human Rights issues. <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n


<\/font><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\u2028\u2028Substance
\nof the proposal:\u2028<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

1) Intensifying talks with and diplomatic policies concerning
\nthe Human Rights situation in Asian countries <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\u20282) Restoring Japan to among the
\ntop 10 countries contributing to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights \u2028<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

3)
\nImproving the internal situation on Human Rights according to the counsel of
\nthe UN Committee for Human Rights, and accepting petitions from individuals who
\nclaim rights under Human Rights treaties.<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n


<\/font><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\u2028\u2028\u2028[Tokyo: January 24, 2007]<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2028Louis
\nArbour, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, will visit Japan as a guest
\nof the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 25th (Thu) to 26th (Fri) of January. \u2028Her
\nvisit to Japan for the first time in November, 2004, was shortly after her
\nappointment, and this visit comes two years after that. As such, the visit
\nrepresents a positive evaluation of Japan and the attitude to the UN High
\nCommissioner for Human Rights of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
\nIdeally it also represents a positive evaluation of Japanese Human Rights
\nprotection and promotion in the international community.<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n


<\/font><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\u2028\u2028Kazuko Ito,
\nSecretary-General of Human Rights Now (Tokyo), an NGO promoting human rights
\nissues, noted on the occasion of the return of Louise Arbour to Japan, that the
\ngovernment of Japan will be unable to actually protect human rights in a world
\nin which the people’s human rights are violated, despite the fact that Human
\nRights diplomacy is an important cornerstone of the diplomatic policy of the
\ngovernment of Japan. She pointed specifically to the need to intensify talks
\nand diplomatic policies on Human Rights with the Asian countries, the need to
\nrestore Japan to among the top 10 countries voluntarily contributing to the UN
\nHigh Commissioner for Human Rights, the necessity to improve the internal human
\nrights situation according to the counsel of the UN Committee for the Human
\nRights, and the importance of accepting petitions from individuals who claim
\nrights under Human Rights treaties.\u2028\u2028<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n


<\/font><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced
\non the 17th (Wed) that the visit by Louise Arbour, the UN High Commissioner for
\nHuman Rights, is expected to intensify the relationship with the office of the
\nUN High Commissioner for Human Rights, with specific discussions covering the
\nreform of the UN in terms of Human Rights and the efforts for Human Rights
\nissues in the international community, including North Korea.\u2028\u2028<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n


<\/font><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

Japan should
\nencourage more aggressive discussion of the Human Rights issue as a member of
\nthe UN Human Rights Council, which was established last year, and should also
\nparticipate in the activities of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
\nJapan made a voluntary pledge (refer to
\nhttp:\/\/www.mofa.go.jp\/mofa\/gaiko\/jinken_r\/koken.html) on the election of the UN
\nHuman Rights Council. Japan pledged to deal with the Human Rights violations,
\nincluding massive and systematic violations as a member of Council. We expect
\nJapan to urge the effective and fair activity by the UN Human Rights Council
\nand also to promote its voluntary pledge by working to protect and promote
\nHuman Rights in Asian countries.\u2028\u2028<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n


<\/font><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

The above-mentioned voluntary pledge
\nindicates that Japan has been having talks on Human Rights issues with more
\nthan ten countries, and mentions that Japan will cooperate with the UN High
\nCommissioner for Human Rights and NGOs. However, it is not explained exactly
\nhow the talks on Human Rights will help to improve the people’s current
\nsituation, particularly those who are actually having their human rights
\nseriously violated. The government of Japan should cooperate closely with the
\nUN High Commissioner for Human Rights and NGOs to ensure that people’s Human
\nRights are protected on a more practical level. \u2028\u2028<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n


<\/font><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the government of
\nJapan is scheduled for talks on provisions for Human Rights in the
\ninternational community, including North Korea. Although it is already common
\nknowledge that the Human Rights situation in North Korea is extremely serious,
\nthere are also serious violations of Human Rights in countries, which have
\nstrong relations with Japan, such as Myanmar, Cambodia and the Philippines. Japan
\nshould talk more aggressively and involve itself more closely in Human Rights
\nsituations in those countries in order to stop the suffering of the people.
\nWhile it is important to discuss truly effective measures to improve the Human
\nRights situation in North Korea in cooperation with international organizations
\nand NGOs, including the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,
\nthe measures taken should not result in violating the basic Human Rights of
\npeople living in Japan and the basic Human Rights of people living in North
\nKorea, including the rights to food and life.\u2028\u2028<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n


<\/font><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

Furthermore, Japan committed
\nitself to cooperating with the treaty bodies duly. However, the activities of
\nthe government of Japan are not sufficient at this point. Even though Japan has
\nalready received counsels from the Human Rights Committee, Social Rights
\nCommittee, the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial
\nDiscrimination, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against
\nWomen, and the Children’s Rights Committee, when examining the government’s
\nreports, most of them have not been improved yet. For instance, the Committee
\npronounced with regret that the counsels issued after the third examination
\nwere mainly not implemented at the fourth examination for the government report
\n(in November, 1998, CCPR\/C\/79\/Add.102). The government of Japan should
\nsincerely accept the counsel of each treaty body and put utmost care into
\nensuring the implementation of each. Considering that the system of reporting
\ncomplaints by individuals allowed in the treaties for Human Rights are not
\naccepted, this is an important subject, which has not been addressed. The measures
\nare strongly expected to be undertaken in 2007 as part of the government’s
\nprofessed Human Rights Diplomacy initiative. \u2028\u2028<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n


<\/font><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

Lastly, although the government
\nof Japan committed in a voluntary pledge to strengthen cooperative relations
\nwith the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, there has been a
\ncut in financial contributions to the office of the UN High Commissioner for
\nHuman Rights year after year. Therefore, it is necessary to take a drastic
\ncourse. In response to the interview with Kyodo News this month (see
\nhttp:\/\/asia.news.yahoo.com\/070117\/kyodo\/d8mn61a81.html), Louise Arbour, the
\nHigh Commissioner, said “Japan used to always be a very important donor country
\nfor the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights” and ” It is very
\nimportant that Japan contributes… expressing concerns and commitments on the
\nHuman Rights issue.”<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n


<\/font><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\u2028\u2028Taro Aso, Minister of Foreign Affairs, pronounced on
\nNovember 30, 2006 that Japan will conduct a diplomatic policy respecting Human
\nRights. Following the Human Rights diplomacy initiative, which is one of the
\nmost important diplomatic policies of 2007, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
\nmade a voluntary pledge as stated above at the UN Human Rights Council to
\nsupport the office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.<\/font><\/span>\u3000<\/font><\/span>Despite the declaration of this resolution, Japan which was one of
\nthe top 10 donor countries, contributing US$1,624,000 in 2000, reduced this
\ncontribution level by half to US$812,000 in 2001. \u2028<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

Then the contribution was
\ndrastically reduced by 1\/10 of its 2000 level to US$166,397 (21st), US$166,397
\n(20th) and US$160,396 (20th) respectively in 2004, 2005, and 2006. It is merely
\n0.2% of the total voluntary contribution for the office. The important role
\nplayed by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is dependant on the support
\nit receives from each member country. We expect that Japan will re-examine this
\nattitude, expressing the necessary support to meet its resolution declaration
\nupon the occasion of the visit of Louise Arbour, the High Commissioner, and
\nwill make efforts to return to the top 10 donor in 2008, at least.\u2028\u2028<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n


<\/font><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

Japan has
\nbeen recognized as an economic power for a long time in the international
\ncommunity. Recently, the contribution to the Human Rights field has become
\nnoticeable. Human Rights Now welcomes this movement. However, why do human
\ncrises still occur? Japan should be able to contribute to the world to resolve
\nthe violations of Human Rights caused by the humanitarian issues.<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n


<\/font><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\u2028\u2028Kazuko Ito,
\nSecretary General of HRN said “Japan should be a country to lead the
\ninternational community in Human Rights in the future. We expect the visit by
\nArbour, the UN High Commissioner, will be a step to accelerate this trend”. She
\nalso stated that “It is necessary to cooperate and support usefully and
\nfinancially to the UN High Commissioner when she makes efforts to improve the
\nsituation of Human Rights over the world, and to urge especially the Asian
\ncountries to strengthen the function of the UN Human Rights Council. Although
\nJapan’s term as a member of the UN Human Rights Council ends in 2008, Japan
\nshall surely execute the voluntary pledge it professed upon its election to the
\nHuman Rights Council until then.”<\/font><\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Press Release On the occasion of the visit to Japan by Louis Arbour, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, in the interests of Human Rights diplomacy, the Japanese government is called on to Cooperate with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Urge Asian countries to take action on Human Rights issues.  \u2028\u2028Substance of the proposal:\u2028 1) Intensifying talks with and diplomatic policies concerning the Human Rights situation in Asian countries  \u20282) Restoring Japan to among the top 10 countries contributing to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights \u2028 3) Improving the internal situation on Human Rights according to the counsel of the UN Committee for Human Rights, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[12,5],"countries":[248],"class_list":["post-46","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-statement","tag-economic-social-and-cultural-rights","tag-united-nations","countries-japan"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrn.or.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrn.or.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrn.or.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrn.or.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrn.or.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/hrn.or.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5175,"href":"https:\/\/hrn.or.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46\/revisions\/5175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrn.or.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrn.or.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrn.or.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46"},{"taxonomy":"countries","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrn.or.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/countries?post=46"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}