About Us

Happy New Year!
Welcome to the website of the Permanent Mission of Japan in Vienna. I would like to offer you my heartfelt wishes for good health, happiness and prosperity in the New Year 2023.
 
While the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic still continues, the international community is facing another new challenge caused by the Russian aggression against Ukraine. The rules-based international order has been threatened, and various problems such as energy, food, and the supply chain have become more complex and tense. These changes directly affect the work of our Permanent Mission. How to maintain the sound function of global governance while the situation in Ukraine is casting a shadow over activities of all international organizations? Here in Vienna, one of the host cities of the United Nations, we are facing this daunting task. Each International Institution based in Vienna is making its best efforts to respond to changing world affairs and deliver results.
 
During the last year, Japan firmly supported their efforts through strengthened cooperation with these institutions. I would like to present some of the results we managed to achieve in Vienna.
 
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Over the past year, I have had the honor of chairing the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ). The most important task here for Japan is to follow up on the outcomes of the 14th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (Kyoto Congress, held in March 2021 in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Japan), and to work toward achieving the rule of law as the basis for sustainable development. We have endeavored to exercise our leadership as the chairing country to further strengthen the international coordination and cooperation, and have achieved tangible results to this end.
 
Regarding the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), safety issues at nuclear facilities in Ukraine as a result of Russia's aggression have raised serious concerns. Japan, as a devoted member of the Board of Governors, has been proactively supporting the IAEA's activities to ensure nuclear safety and security under the initiative of Director General Grossi. Japan also extensively cooperated with the Agency on the decommissioning plan for TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. In particular, we are promoting the IAEA's active involvement in the matters related to ALPS treated water, and are working to rigorously ensure the safety of its discharge in a scientific manner while promoting the understanding of interested parties.
 
In August last year, the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was held in New York. Prime Minister Kishida attended the conference on the first day and proposed the "Hiroshima Action Plan". Japan's strong appeals for nuclear disarmament gained high acknowledgement and strong support from many countries. I myself participated in the Conference and endeavored to build a consensus on promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
In the end, the Review Conference could not adopt the final document by consensus due to the sole objection by Russia. Nevertheless, the Conference produced a draft final document supported by all States parties except Russia. We consider it meaningful for maintaining and strengthening the NPT regime, and for making concrete steps forward for disarmament and non-proliferation.
 
In September last year, Japan co-hosted with Australia the High-level Meeting of the Friends of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) during the High-level week of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, based upon the proposal made by Prime Minister Kishida at the Review Conference of the NPT in August.  The High-level Meeting was held at the head of government level for the first time in its history. About 60 counties attended the meeting, and four heads of government delivered their statements. Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Treaty for signature, this meeting reviewed the achievements of the Treaty and provided an opportunity to raise momentum towards the early entry into force of the Treaty.
 
Japan also proactively engaged in international cooperation for the global response to COVID-19 and building back better from the crisis in collaboration with various International Organizations based in Vienna, namely, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), IAEA and UNODC. Japan supported many developing countries in need and has realized projects in a wide range of fields, including food security, fight against cancer, strengthening of high added-value industry, enhancement of the resilience of societies and empowerment of women.
 
In this vein, let me renew my sincere respect to all Japanese staff of the Vienna based International Organizations for their tieless efforts and invaluable contributions for impending global issues which have become more complex due to the COVID-19 crisis and the current geopolitical situation.
 
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This year, our team at the Permanent Mission of Japan will continue to make our utmost efforts in responding to various challenges we are faced with.
 
For the first time in its history, the G7 Summit will be held in May this year in Hiroshima, a city that suffered from an atomic bombing. In light of this symbolic event, we will further promote the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the strengthening of its verification regime, toward the realization of a world without nuclear weapons.
 
As the G7 President this year, Japan will steadfastly support the IAEA in close coordination with other Member States, including G7 members, to tackle such important issues as safety and security at nuclear facilities in Ukraine. We will also jointly work on non-proliferation challenges including the issues of North Korea and Iran. As for the handling of ALPS treated water, we will continue to proceed our work with the active involvement of the IAEA.
 
Globalization in the rapidly changing international landscape has been exacerbating many global issues including terrorism, international crime, corruption and illicit drugs. We continue to strengthen our cooperation with the UNODC, capitalizing on our expertise in these fields. Japan is leading the development of new UN standards and norms on reducing reoffending as one of the follow-ups to the ‘Kyoto Declaration’, the outcome document adopted at the Kyoto Congress last year. We will take a leadership role in the negotiations to establish new comprehensive and effective standards and norms in this field.
 
Negotiations on a draft of treaty on cybercrime, which is to be the first UN treaty on cybercrime, will get into full swing this year. Japan will continue our active engagement in the negotiations to ensure that the treaty will contribute to strengthening substantive international cooperation in the field of cybercrime. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of Japan's Drug Abuse Prevention Center (DACP)'s Grant program carried out as the youth fund-raising mechanism, which is implemented under the policy slogan “Dame Zettai (Never. Ever)”. In March, a commemorative event will be held to stress the importance of drug prevention efforts in cooperation with the private sector and the general public.
 
Given continuing multiple conflicts and geopolitical confrontations, it is now all the more important to maintain and promote effective export control mechanisms for the peace and prosperity of the international community. Japan plays an active role in the discussions of multilateral export control regimes, such as the Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), by leveraging Japan's strengths in technological knowledge in this field.
 
Japan continues to work steadily with UNIDO to assist developing countries by mobilizing technologies and expertise of Japan’s private sector. We remain fully committed to further supporting the implementation of the SDGs by assisting developing countries in various areas, including agribusiness/food security, energy/climate change, and environmental issues.
 
An ever increasing expectation is being raised today that space activities will contribute substantially to the economic and social development on Earth in multiple ways. Those activities has been more and more commercialized, driven mainly by the private sector. Both national entities and private companies are accelerating their exploration activities including lunar explorations. Japan will contribute to the promotion of the peaceful uses of outer space and the achievement of the SDGs through international cooperation via the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and with the support of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), taking advantage of its advanced space technologies and experiences in national space legislation.
 
As the international community today appears to stand at a historic crossroads, it is all the more crucial to maintain sound global governance. Our Mission in Vienna is determined to make substantial contributions to this end through our day-by-day endeavor to effectively maintain and strengthen multilateralism. I would be most grateful for your understanding and support for our activities.
 
In closing, let me reiterate my sincere wishes for your good health, happiness and prosperity in the New Year.




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