On 19 October 2015, Dr. Alistair Edgar, Executive Director of the Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS) spoke at the University of Tokyo if the UN was still Fit for Peace and Security Governance.

　In his speech at the Australian National University, Minister Agio Pereira explained the significance of colonial legacy that led to the birth of independent sovereign state of Timor-Leste. Click here for a full text of his speech.

　Dr. Kazuo Takahashi, Former Professor, International Christian University, Tokyo, points out the emergence of a twin structure of development cooperation, i.e. the traditional Bretton Woods-DAC regime and a new system consisting of the AIIB, the New Development Bank and the Chinese bilateral cooperation system.

　Uchida endorses Kofi Annan and The Elders’ proposal to include a new category of semi-permanent membership in the Security Council representing a modified Model B proposed by the 2004 High-Level Panel on New Threats, Challenges and Change. Please click here for the full text of Uchida’s paper.

　At a book launching event, hosted by UN University Library on 23 October 2015, Dr. Daisaku Higashi, Associate Professor in the University of Tokyo, presented his analysis of the challenges faced in establishing legitimate governments in post-conflict states and examined the cases of Afghanistan, Iraq, Sierra Leone, and East Timor.

　At the trilateral conference in Shanghai, Professor Hasegawa called for Chinese and Korean leaders to be magnanimous and forgive Japan as much as the Japanese leaders have admitted and apologized for what Japan did to China and Korea before and during World War II in order to achieve reconciliation.

　LIU Zhixian, Vice President and Director-General of UNA-China and Secretary General of CANUNS pointed out the international community expected more from the East Asian Community to provide East Asian perspectives and approaches to regional and global problems.

　In his keynote speech at the 15th East Asian Seminar on the UN system, Jiemian YANG, President Emeritus, Shanghai Institutes for Int’l Studies noted the need for East Asia to build up more consensus on the future orientations of their partnerships of regional and global governance. Click here for the full text of his speech.

　The academic councils of the three Northeast Asian countries, the China Academic Net for United Nations Studies (CANUNS), the Japan Association for United Nations Studies (JAUNS) and the Korea Academic Council on the United Nations System (KACUNS) met and discussed global and regional peace and security issues along with sustainable development and human rights. Please click here for the full story and program.

　Mr. Michael Emery, a key member of the UN Inter-agency Outreach Missions to Japan, says the UN is determined to increase Japan`s representation and points to the importance of Japanese applicants having “soft” as well as “hard” competencies and a second UN language including French, Spanish or Arabic, in addition to English to enhance employment chances in the United Nations.

　In his article contributed to the Japan Times, Professor Ramesh Thakur of the Australian National University postulates that Russian President Vladmir Putin has challenged the notion that the West is the chosen ruler of the world and the US President is one who must be obeyed. Please click here for the full text of Professor Ramesh Thakur.

　At the UN General Assembly on 29 September 2015, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stressed his intention to provide financial and technical assistance for Syrian refugees. On the previous day, Chinese President Xi Jinping said China would expand its engagement with the UN and send 8,000 troops as part of the UN peacekeeping forces. Korean President Park Geun-hye urged the international community to focus on resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.

　On September 17 at JCK Youth Forum, Professors Jieun Park of UNA-ROK and Sukehiro Hasegawa of UNA-Japan and Ms. Li Xueyao of UNA-China listened to JCK students make presentations of their discussions on lessons learned from history, climate change and humanitarian assistance. Please click here about what the Japanese students said. (Hiroto Kiyozumi)

　In his interview with NHK World, Professor Sukehiro Hasegawa, Former Special Representative of UN Secretary-General, expressed his hope that Japan continue to be guided by its own aspiration to attain “an honored place” in the international community, as Shigemitsu declared in his statement to the General Assembly when Japan was admitted to the UN in 1956. Please click here to find out more about what he said.

　On September 16, 2015, the JCK Youth Forum held a cultural night show. The Japanese students excelled in their performance of traditional songs and dances. Please click here for a full story and more pictures.

　At the opening session of the Japan-China-Korea Youth Forum held on September 15, 2015 in the historic city of Gyeongju, President of UN Association of China, Ambassador Lu Shumin calls on 80 students from Japan, China and Korea to learn from the history, have courage to take on responsibilities, have the wisdom to seek common ground and keep an open mind to embrace differences. Please click here for the full text of his opening remarks.

　The sixth trilateral youth forum of Japanese, Chinese and Korean students was opened by its Secretary-General, KIM Dong Hyeon, on September 15, 2015. Presidents and Vice Presidents of the UN Associations of Japan, China and Korea as well as the World Federation of UN Associations participated in the opening ceremony.

　At the meeting of HPC Council held on10 September 2015 at the UN University in Tokyo, Council Chair Hasegawa suggested the need to reflect the recommendations of four key advisory panels and bodies on UN peace operations and post-2015 sustainable development agenda. Please click here for the full text of his remarks.

　The UN General Assembly will take up during its current session in September-December 2015 the recommendations made by three high level panels and an expert group as well as draft resolution submitted by the General Assembly President. Please click here to access these reports.

　Ashraf Swelam, Director of CCCPA, announced on August 27 that former President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta and former Foreign Minister of Algeria Lakhdar Brahimi had accepted the invitations from the Cairo Center for Conflict Prevention and Peacekeeping in Africa (CCCPA) to become members of the CCCPA International Advisory Board. Please click here for a full list of the members.