"The World and Japan" Database (Project Leader: TANAKA Akihiko)
Database of Japanese Politics and International Relations
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS); Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (IASA), The University of Tokyo

[Title] Statement by H.E. Mr. Fumio Kishida Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan At the World Humanitarian Summit North and South-East Asia Regional Consultation

[Place] Tokyo
[Date] July 23, 2014
[Source] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
[Notes] Provisional Translation
[Full text]

Madame Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs,

Your Excellency Mr. Hasan, Deputy Minister for Multilateral Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Japanese official development assistance (ODA). It is our great honor to co-host the North and South-East Asia Regional Consultation for the World Humanitarian Summit in Tokyo at this memorial year.

Japan has played an active role in humanitarian assistance under the concept of human security. For example, when Typhoon Haiyan hit Philippines last year, Japan dispatched largest-ever Japan Disaster Relief Team, and provided Emergency Relief Goods as well as assistance through international organizations and NGOs. Japan currently provides assistance for reconstruction.

Japan learned many lessons from the Great East Japan Earthquake. One of which was that women often faced difficulties while living in shelters such as a lack of spaces for breastfeeding or changing clothes. In addition, meeting the different needs of people like elderlies, single-headed households, or persons with disabilities turned out as a challenge. Based on these experiences, Japan places special foc us on building society resilient to disasters and promoting women’s participation. Japan takes these into consideration when we provide assistance overseas. We will promote the inclusion of gender perspectives as well as mainstreaming disaster risk reduction through various processes including the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction to be held in Sendai next March and the World Humanitarian Summit.

In Asia, multi-layered networks for regional cooperation have been advanced. Japan has extended assistance such as training for disaster management agencies, AHA Centre(ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management), and technical cooperation for strengthening community’s capacity on disaster risk reduction.

We are expecting to have active discussions from different grounds and viewpoints so as to provide valuable inputs from this region which will lead to the successful World Humanitarian Summit in 2016.

Thank you very much.