Interactive Dialogue with High Commissioner for Human Rights at the 10th Session of the Human Rights Council

Human Rights Council 10th Session Agenda Item 2

Statement of Japan

Geneva, 5 March 2009
Permanent Mission of Japan in Geneva

Thank you, Mr. President,

Japan would like to thank Madam High Commissioner for her comprehensive first annual report. We would also like to express our sincere appreciation for the dedicated work of the High Commissioner and her Office.

Mr. President,

Regarding the UPR, we welcome the active engagement of many countries in this review mechanism. On the other hand, there have also emerged procedural difficulties that need to be discussed further and addressed appropriately. Additionally, we strongly hope that an effective follow-up mechanism for the UPR will be developed. As Madam High Commissioner pointed out, and as a number of delegations mentioned this morning, Japan also believes that such measures as the strengthening of links between the Council and the treaty body system as well as other UN mechanisms should further be explored in order to enhance the UPR process.

Mr. President,

Another pillar of the Human Rights Council that stands alongside the UPR is the Special Procedures. From the viewpoint of addressing grave human rights violations, the Special Procedures are an essential mechanism and we agree with the High Commissioner’s assessment of this mechanism as “an early warning system to situations involving serious human rights violations.” Japan welcomes the appointment of 27 new mandate-holders through the Council’s review, rationalization and improvement process. Japan supports both country-specific and thematic Special Procedures, and will continue to cooperate with them. As I noted in my statement yesterday, the country-specific mandates that have been developed to this point by the international community serve as a complementary mechanism to the UPR. In keeping with the role stated in paragraph 3 of the United Nations General Assembly resolution 60/251 that established the Human Rights Council, “the Council should address situations of violations of human rights, including gross and systematic violations, and make recommendations thereon,” and to this end, the appropriate use of both country-specific mandates and the UPR should be pursued.

Mr. President,

We appreciate the OHCHR’s activities regarding the Durban Review Conference such as establishing a public information campaign, the contribution submitted by the High Commissioner and so on. We strongly hope that the discussions will proceed in keeping with the original purpose of the Review Conference, so that as many countries as possible will participate in the Review Conference and that the Conference can serve as an opportunity for the international community to reconfirm our commitment to combating racism and racial discrimination.

Mr. President,

We welcome the references that the High Commissioner made in her first annual report to numerous country-specific situations. Highlighting specific countries’ human rights situations is not an act of criticism, but rather serves to promote dialogue between the countries concerned on one hand and the Human Rights Council, and, by extension, the international community on the other. At the same time, Japan does not consider the situations referred to in the High Commissioner’s statement to be exhaustive, and expects that Madam High Commissioner will continue to focus on serious situations of ongoing human rights violations around the world.