1. The Reconstruction Process Enters Full Swing

2. PM Noda and FM Gemba Attend the 66th Session of the UN General Assembly

- PM Noda’s address to the General Assembly

- Third Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI)

- G8 Foreign Ministers Meeting (ministerial follow-up meeting on the Deauville Partnership)

- Ministerial-level side event on the MDGs

3. IAEA General Conference

2. Prime Minister Noda and Foreign Minister Gemba Attend the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly

Prime Minister Noda’s address to the General Assembly

In his address to the UN General Assembly on the topic of a role in intermediating resolutions to conflicts started on September 21, Prime Minister Noda expressed (a) his determination that Japan would recover from the Great East Japan Earthquake and move forward step by step towards a peaceful, prosperous, and brighter future, (b) his determination to contribute to global economic growth and Japan’s economic recovery, nuclear safety, various global issues, and international efforts in several fields such as reforms at the United Nations, and (c) three new commitments. The following is a summary of his address.

(1) Introduction

The People of Japan expressed their gratitude for the friendship and solidarity shown throughout the world after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Japan is giving the greatest priority to recovery and reconstruction efforts and working to revitalize Japan as rapidly as possible. Regarding the accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant, Japan is making the utmost efforts to move work forward and complete efforts quicker than planned.

(2) Global economic growth and revitalization of the Japanese economy

While stressing development of the middle class, Japan will continue to support developing countries through programs such as ODA. Japan is striving to both improve its financial position and boost economic growth. Japan will work to strengthen the economic partnership between Japan and the rest of the world. In addition, Japan is developing a strategy to promote a green economy and to make a bold shift in energy by the summer of 2012 in order to achieve sustainable growth.

(3) Disaster prevention and nuclear safety

In addition to hosting an international conference on disaster prevention next year in the Tohoku region, which was hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake, Japan proposes to host the Third World Conference on Disaster Reduction in 2015 and will play a leading role in international society. Turning to nuclear safety, Japan will improve emergency safety measures and further strengthen its regulatory system, make use of the lessons learned from the accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant, and contribute to the reinforcement of global nuclear power safety. Japan will also hold an international conference in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) next year and share with the international community the results of its comprehensive inspection following the accident.

(4) Response to various global problems

Japan will work for a resolution to the problem of piracy off the coast of Somalia and continue to provide support to Afghanistan in order to eradicate terrorism. Japan will also strive to foster peace by actively participating in UN peace keeping operations. The country will do all it can to realize a world without nuclear weapons. In addition to urging North Korea to take concrete steps to resolve its nuclear and missile issues, Japan will exert all efforts to find a solution to the abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korea, a universal issue of human rights, and realize their return to Japan as quickly as possible.

(5) United Nations reforms

Japan supports efforts to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the UN and thinks that reforming the Security Council is indispensable for strengthening the UN. Japan intends to launch substantive negotiations towards the reform, to make tangible achievements during this session of the UN General Assembly.

(6) Three new commitments

First, Japan extends support for the nation-building efforts in South Sudan, as well as for the consolidation of peace in the region. Japan is preparing to dispatch Japanese Self-Defense Forces personnel as staff officers to the Headquarters of the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS). Japan is also interested in dispatching an engineering unit of our Self-Defense Forces, and therefore will conduct the necessary field study as early as possible.

Second, in addition to the approximately 100 million dollars in aid already provided to respond to the drought that is directly impacting children in the Horn of Africa, Japan will provide further humanitarian aid.

Third, Japan will support reform and democratization efforts in the Middle East and North Africa and provide an additional yen loan worth approximately 1.0 billion dollars to projects investing in infrastructure and industry development. Support will also be provided for elections in Tunisia and Egypt and country building in the newly created Libya, and efforts will be made to promote trade and investment. Japan will also work to support peace in the Middle East, including Palestinians’ efforts to realize the two-state solution.