United Nations Trusteeship Council Chamber in New York

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Refugee issues are one of the most serious challenges faced by the international community. I would like to express my deepest respect to President Barack Obama of the United States for his initiative.

Refugee issues were discussed as one of the principal themes at the G7 Ise-Shima Summit held this May where I was in charge of chairman. To address refugee issues, it is important that countries and organizations implement mutually complementary measures that take advantage of each respective party’s relative strengths. Japan will take concrete actions as follows, capitalizing on its relative strengths.

First, in order to realize “Human Security”, Japan will make efforts to ensure regional peace and stability by providing assistance to vulnerable refugees and supporting the development of refugee-hosting countries. Specifically, Japan commits to provide an assistance package of about 2.8 billion US dollars between 2016 and 2018 as humanitarian and self-reliance assistance to refugees and migrants, and assistance to host countries and communities.

In addition, Japan commits to provide support amounting approximately 100 million US dollars to the World Bank’s Global Crisis Response Platform launched today by the President Obama’s initiative.

Second, this year, Japan commits itself to implement human resource development including educational assistance and vocational training to approximately one million people affected by conflicts. Japan will endeavor to create safe learning environments for children and foster human resources in anticipation of future recovery.
Furthermore, Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers will work to support Syrian refugee children as the “Japan Team for Syrian Refugees and Communities”, whose launch was announced this May.

Third, Japan will accept refugees. This May, Japan announced that it will accept up to 150 Syrian students in the coming five years starting next year, with a view toward fostering the human resources which are expected to contribute to the recovery of Syria in the future. If these Syrian students wish to be accompanied by their family or bring their family to Japan, they will be warmly welcomed within Japan’s institutional framework.

Finally, I promised last year at the General Debate that Japan will unstintingly offer its wealth of experience in humanitarian assistance and human resources development. Again, I hereby promise that Japan continues to provide generous assistance standing by each refugee.