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The Parliamentary Committee of the Japanese Diet for World Federalist Movement mandated the Japan Commission on Global Governance (JCGG) to address global issues and crises such as security, disarmament, global environment, public health, development and poverty eradication, human rights and the rule of law and make recommendations regarding the role Japan should play in global governance in the post-COVID-19 era. Please click here for the report of the Commission and the debate that took place in the Parliamentary Committee.
In Tokyo, Princess Akiko struck the peace bell at the ceremony held at Zojoji Temple. After the bell-beating ceremony, Sukehiro Hasegawa, chairman of the Japan Committee for International Peace Day, explained the purpose of the event. Then, Sen Genshitsu, president of the United Nations Association of Japan and the head of Urasenke, and Yoshiko Higashikuni, Chairman of the World Federation Culture and Education Promotion Council, gave a speech, and Yuriko Koike, the Governor of Tokyo Metropolitan Government, gave a congratulatory address. Actress Mikako Yoshida then read a message from Fabrizio Hochschild, Special Advisor to the Secretary-General for the 75th anniversary of the United Nations. Please clickhere. (Reporter: Yuuki Watanabe)
Chef de Cabinet to the Director-General, United Nations Office at Geneva David A. Chikvaidze asserts that we are on the verge of blundering into something far more devastating than the world has experienced before for a variety of reasons, not least among them, rapidly deteriorated relations among the most heavily armed and powerful States through the deliberate dismantling of disarmament commitments, a climate crisis wreaking havoc around the world, intrastate and regional armed conflicts threatening millions, dire poverty in large parts of the world, refugee flows at record levels, rampant inequality both between and within countries, escalating disputes over trade, sky-high debt, threats to the rule of law, attacks on the media and civil society resulting in mistrust among peoples, countries, communities and societies. Add to these, Chikvaidze points out that the ‘game-changing’ COVID-19 pandemic and what the world has before it, is a stage set for planetary calamity. In this fast-changing environment, new diplomatic policies and practices based on the principles of solidarity and inclusiveness are urgently needed, bringing together all relevant actors, from civil society, think tanks, academia to regional development banks. The collective response has an uneven record, with tensions often undermining the effectiveness of multilateral decision-making processes. But the world needs to be optimistic and hopeful. He advises that we should pull back from the precipice in time. Modern multilateralism is the only way to do this. Please click here for the full text of his paper published by Cadmus, Volume 4, Issue 2-Paln 2 – June 2020.
The spread and unprecedented impact of the new coronavirus has revealed a wide range of vulnerabilities that human society should overcome as a human community. We are concerned that this pandemic poses a threat to the peace and security of humankind, and in order to overcome it, we need to aim at restoring multilateralism and building new global governance for conflict and disaster prevention.
Online Extraordinary Meeting of the GPAJ General Assembly elected Mr. Ken INOUE, former Senior Advisor on Democratic Governance, Ambassador Motoo NOGUCHI and Ambassador Yasuyoshi KOMIZO as new members of the Board of Directors which in turn appointed Mr. Ken INOUE and Professor KUMAGAI Vice Presidents.
As countries around the globe struggle to combat the new coronavirus pandemic, there is an urgent need for nation states to work together in handling this issue. Over 70 years ago, Albert Einstein and others developed the concept of a world federation as a remedy for dealing with such problems. In the midst of our fight against the evil of the new coronavirus, we have an opportunity to look to the future and deepen discussions toward forming a UN Parliamentary Assembly, then after that a world parliament and ultimately a world federation. Such a structure will transcend the Westphalian system of government to foster unity and cooperation between countries.
In a video message to a meeting of international organizations working on the spread of vaccines, Prime Minister Abe pledged $300 million in support of the development of vaccines for developing countries.
Dr. Ai Kihara-Hunt of the University of Tokyo calls for new and existing measures to be led by human rights as their guiding value, thus requiring all actors to pay special attention to vulnerable people.
(日本語) 安倍総理大臣は、新型コロナウイルスへの対応をめぐり、米中関係の対立が深まっているなか、日本は、ＷＨＯの総会において、公平で独立した包括的な検証を行うべきであるという決議案をＥＵや豪州等と協力をして提出をし、米国や中国も合意したと述べた。そして、日本は自由、民主主義、基本的人権、法の支配といった普遍的な価値を共有する国々と手を携えながら、国際社会での重要な役割、責任を果たしていく意向を示した。（記者会見に関しては、首相官邸のウエッブサイトを参照して下さい。）