第6回ビジネスと人権フォーラム　志野光子大使ステートメント（平成29年11月29日）

Thank you, Mr. Chair and panelists.

      Japan welcomes the holding of the 6th Forum on Business and Human Rights with such large numbers in attendance. This forum provides a vital opportunity for states, corporations, civil society and other stakeholders to cooperate on issues relevant to business and human rights.

      Japan considers it vital to expand commitments with consideration for sustainability, including respect for human rights in society, in the organisation of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In this regard, Japan welcomes this afternoon’s parallel session, “Taking stock and reiterating commitment to remedy: Embedding respect for human rights in the Tokyo Olympics”. We look forward to a fruitful discussion towards 2020.

      As we stated at last year’s Forum, the Government of Japan is committed to formulate a National Action Plan. In order to increase the effectiveness of our plan, Japan has started to review the current status of the protection of human rights in business activities and judicial system, through implementing baseline studies as an initial step. Japan is aware of the importance of the recommendation to undertake such studies as made by the UN working Group on Business and Human Rights. We expect to clarify issues to be addressed through conducting the baseline studies. We are also considering holding meetings with multi-stakeholders.

      The formulation of a National Action Plan is significant from the perspective of realisation of the SDGs and has been listed as one of the concrete measures under our SDGs Implementation Guiding Principles. Japan has also recently established “Japan SDGs Award” with the aim of promoting achievement of the SDGs, by awarding excellent commitments made by business enterprises and organisations. We hope the award will serve to enhance the protection of human rights by business enterprises and organisations.

      As Japan considers it indispensable to listen to the voices of various stakeholders when formulating the National Action Plan, it may take several years to complete it. We are, however, conscious that the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held in 2020, and therefore will continue working on the plan in the aim of completing and disseminating it in the coming years.

      Through formulating the National Action Plan, we intend to continue to raise awareness of the importance of human rights in business practices, both inside and outside Japan.

Thank you very much.