Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and announced Japan’s support to the United Nations in mainstreaming the Sustainable Development Goals.

　Panelists discussed the issues and challenges facing Japan, ascertained Japan’s comparative advantage, and recommended what Japan should do in future international peace cooperation.

Mr. Akashi suggested the Japanese people should think seriously of what Japan can and should do to build a more peaceful international society based on law and justice.

　Akio Miyajima, Director-General of the Cabinet Office in charge of International Peace Cooperation Activities calls for the Continuation of Japan’s Contributions to UN Peace Operations.

　Peacekeeping must strengthen civilian capacities for protection, as effective protection requires a whole-of-mission effort. To that end, developing comprehensive strategies that incorporate all mission personnel and the capacities of UN humanitarian and development actors is essential, as is close cooperation and support to regional organizations. Improving the role of civilian personnel in strengthening the capacities of host governments and supporting communities with the development of community-based protection plans are other important areas requiring further efforts.

　In a message to the event commemorating 25th anniversary of the enactment of the peacekeeping cooperation law, the Japanese Prime Minister promised more active contributions to UN peace cooperation.

　Former students of Professor Kitamura met at his residence and talked about what they had learned from him and the world to which he had sent his students more than 50 years ago.

　António Guterres, the secretary general of the United Nations, said that an American retreat from the world posed great risks on many issues, including climate change, international conflicts and the refugee crisis.

　Professor Daisaku Higashi of Sophia University in Tokyo proposed Japan to continue supporting peacebuilding activities for South Sudan at the World Federation Parliament Committee of the Diet of Japan.

　Experts and practitioners exchanged their views and suggestions on how to revitalize the UN system.

　At the ACUNS annual meeting held in Seoul, nearly 20 Japanese scholars and experts of UN peace operation joined 250 other participants from all over the world and discussed how to revitalize the United Nations in human rights, peace and development.

　Hasegawa emphasizes the importance of including Asian representatives in the organization of ACUNS. A co-operation between Japan, China, and Korea would help East Asian members in supporting, not just attending, ACUNS events.

　Hasegawa calls for Asian participants to voice more actively their views and opinions at ACUNS meetings and contribute more to dialogue and mutual understandings across academics and practitioners of the world.

　Ambassador Venitia Sebudandi will speak about the achievements made by Rwanda and challenges the country faces at Tokyo University Komaba Campus on 31 May 2017.

　The 14th spring conference of the Japan Evaluation Society holds a thematic session to examine major issues and prospects of the governance systems in private and public sectors.

　Simulation exercise shows stalemate and deaths of thousand IDPs resulting from insistence on “human security” by UN agencies and “national security” by the Government.

　UN Geneva Chief of Staff David Chikvaidze recalls the difficulty encountered in Georgia’s gaining its membership in the United Nations as the dramatic events of 1991-92 in Tbilisi had left a bad impression in key capitals.

　In his keynote speech, Professor Hasegawa explained the changing nature of conflicts and stresses the importance of conflict prevention and resolution.

　UNO explains how the Japan Electron Optics Laboratory Company (JEOL 日本電子) emerged as a major developer and manufacturer of electron microscopes and other scientific instruments, industrial equipment and medical equipment.