In their discussion of protection of civilians (POC) issues, East Asian groups examined the Kigali Principle and Cruz Report, and recommended that four countries should strengthen the coordination of their pre-deployment and on-site POC activities while noting progress made by the annual Khan Quest operations exercise in Mongolia.
Ms. Shoko Noda- Series: “Thinking about Sustainability Issues in the Maldives” (19/04/2018)
Ms. Kaoru Nemoto, United Nations Information Centre Director, visited the Maldives from 10 to 16 March 2018, observing the frontlines of climate change adaptation and mitigation. She also met with the Resident Coordinator, Ms. Shoko Noda, and reported on the impacts of climate change to the people of the Maldives, including unpredictable weather patterns and rising sea levels. Ms. Nemoto’s reports on Huffpost Japan (in Japanese) can be read from here.
The Liberal Democratic Party Foreign Affairs Research Committee and the World Federation Japan National Diet Committee briefed about the current UN reform efforts. (11-12/04/2018)
At the request of Mr. Seishiro ETO, Chairman of both Committees, the President of the Global Peacebuilding Association of Japan explained the development of UN reform efforts carried out by Secretaries-General of the United Nations, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Kofi Annan, Ban Ki-moon and António Guterres.
[Obituary] Katsuhide Kitatani (1931-2018) (09/04/2018)
Mr. Kitatani passed away at 6:00 a.m. April 6, 2018 in Tokyo with his wife, Akiko, at his side. The funeral took place at the Minato Citizens’ Funeral Hall “Yasuragi Kaikan” in Minami Aoyama, Tokyo, at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, April 9. Mr. Kitatani was 86 and 6 months old and was survived by Akiko, his wife of 56 years, his twin sons Jun and Ken, their wives Nicole and Nina (Mami) and Jun and Nicole’s two children, Noah and Laila.
Mr. Katsuhide Kitatani passed away. (06/04/2018)
Mr. Kitatani passed away at 6:00 a.m. April 6, 2018 in Tokyo with his wife, Akiko, at his side. The funeral will take place at the Minato Citizens’ Funeral Hall “Yasuragi Kaikan” in Minami Aoyama, Tokyo, at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, April 9.
Sukehiro HASEGAWA “United Nations Peacebuilding – What is needed to build a world without conflicts?” NOW ON SALE (23/03/2018)
The author who has stood on the front line of UN peace operations reflects the path travelled by Boutros-Ghali with his Agenda for Peace, Kofi Annan In Larger Freedom, Ban Ki-moon`s HIPPO panel and António Guterres` Conflict Prevention, and identifies what makes decisive difference in conflict resolution and prevention.
Former Japanese Ambassador and UN Under-Secretary-General Kenzo OSHIMA emphasizes the leadership of Secretary-General is indispensable. (17/03/2018)
Oshima found significant Secretary-General António Guterres` assessment that the UN suffered from “Fragmented structures, Byzantine procedures, Endless red tape.”
East Asian Forum on UN Peace Operations @UNU (20/04/2018)
The Academic Council on the United System (ACUNS) and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) will hold the East Asian Forum on UN Peace Operations entitled New Directions and New Approaches in UN Peace Operations: The Primacy of Politics and Protection of Civilians at the Elisabeth Rose Conference Hall, 5th floor, the UN University on 20th April 2018. If you are interested in participating in this forum, please contact Associate Professor Kihara-Hunt, kiharahunt[@]yahoo.com by email (Please change [@] to @ when sending an email). Please click here for detail.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres introduced his report on “Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace” (05/03/2018)
Guterres found it necessary to sustain peace efforts not only once conflict had broken out but also long beforehand, through the prevention of conflict and addressing its root causes.
Former Japanese Ambassador explains the humanitarian and peacebuilding challenges in South Sudan from his field perspective (28/01/2018)
Professors Mitsugi Endo of Tokyo University and Daisaku Higashi of Sophia University as well as Mr. Takaki Imai, Representative of Japan Volunteers Center, commented on the causes of conflicts and the prospect for overcoming the challenges.
Japan Earth Charter Committee meets in Tokyo (27/01/2018)
Former Minister of Environment Wakako Hironaka moderates a discussion on how to promote the Earth Charter in Japan.
Former Japanese Ambassador to South Sudan will provide his perspective from the field on Japan’s peacebuilding contribution to South Sudan (28/01/2018)
Former Ambassador to South Sudan and currently Deputy Director-General for African Masahiko KIYA will make presentation on “Japan’s Support for Peacebuilding in South Sudan: A Perspective from the Ground” on 28 January 2018 at Tokyo University Komaba Campus.
Repositioning of the UN Development System (22/01/2018)
SG Guterres advocates a more ambitious pathway to bring about necessary changes in the UN System instead of an evolutionary approach which inkers around the edges, and calls for strengthened ECOSOC and accountability.
Visit to International Peace Cooperation Activities Training Unit (IPCAT) (19/01/2018)
A group of 25 Japanese and International Program Associates for Global Human Resource Development for Peacebuilding and Development visited IPCAT in Komakado on the footstep of Mount Fuji.
Peacebuilding challenges discussed by international and Japanese program associates (18/01/2018)
Twenty five participants attend the course for global resource development for peacebuilding and development commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and held by the Hiroshima Peacebuilders Center at the Olympic Youth Memorial Center in Tokyo.
National Federation of UNESCO Association of Japan (NFUAJ) holds its first meeting of the Council in Tokyo (13/01/2018)
Professor Yuji Suzuki, Director-General of the Federation and Ms. Chiharu Kawakami, Director for Administration, presided over the meeting attended by more than 200 delegates from all over Japan. (Photo: ING進学教室)
In his address to the Security Council on December 20, 2017, António Guterres reiterated prevention and development must be at the center of all efforts to tackle complex threats to peace (05/01/2018)
Sixty Member States recognized the need to address complex contemporary challenges but differed on the priority among measures to achieve international peace and security.
Happy New Year 2018
It was a clear morning weather when the first day of the New Year arrived in the central part of Germany where my daughter and her family live. We wish you a happy new year 2018.
Japan suggests the Security Council reform along with UN Reform proposals presented by Secretary-General António Guterres (20/12/2017)
Japanese Ambassador Koro Bessho urged that complex contemporary challenges to international peace and security should be dealt with in a holistic and methodological manner to better address the situation on the ground and presented four ideas which included reform of the UN Security Council.
President of International Crisis Group Jean-Marie Guéhenno shares his views on the changing nature of conflict in conversation with Sebastian von Einsiedel, Director of the UNU Centre for Policy Research. (14/12/2017)
Former Under-Secretary-General for UN Department for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guéhenno finds conflicts multilayers and “never dying” reflecting the erosion of international norms and a widening political divide.