Diplomacy and security

In the Indo-Pacific region, the center of global vitality, it is absolutely imperative to defend, based on the rule of law, the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the peaceful resolution of disputes; to respect inclusivity, diversity, and openness; and to realize growth across the entire region.
We will advance our cooperation with countries and regions that share our approach, including notably the United States, Australia, India, and the Republic of Korea, as well as ASEAN, Europe, and Pacific Island Countries, and deepen our cooperation towards realizing a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.

The Kishida Cabinet attaches great importance to fully defending universal values, including human rights.
We will actively and proactively promote human rights diplomacy that is quintessentially Japanese, taking into account the international situation.

On December 16, 2022, the Government, in the National Security Council and the Cabinet, decided upon the National Security Strategy, Japan’s basic policy on national security, as well as the National Defense Strategy and Defense Capability Enhancement Plan. These decisions brought significant changes to Japan’s postwar security policies. The Government will make the greatest possible use of Japan’s comprehensive national power, including diplomatic and defense capabilities, and move swiftly to undertake the measures set out in the National Security Strategy and elsewhere.

As we continue to reinforce the Japan-U.S. Alliance, we will also work to lessen the impact of U.S. military bases.
Regarding Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Futenma, based on the policy of relocation to Henoko being the only solution, we are proceeding steadily with construction, aiming to realize the total return of MCAS Futenma at the earliest possible time.

As the families of the abduction victims continue to age, the abductions issue, an issue facing time constraints, is a human rights issue which we cannot neglect for even a moment. We will continue to do our utmost to decisively tackle the issue to realize the return of all the abductees to Japan at the earliest possible date.

In order to take all possible preparations for transporting Japanese nationals and others in the event of a crisis overseas, a bill to amend the Self-Defense Forces Act was submitted to the ordinary Diet session of 2022 and enacted. It abolished the restriction of using government aircraft in principle as the means of transport, revised the requirements regarding safety during implementation, and expanded the scope of the primary persons targeted for such transport.
In April 2023, of approximately 60 Japanese nationals in Sudan, where conflict had broken out, all Japanese wishing to evacuate had done so. Of those, 41 Japanese nationals and four non-Japanese family members were transported from Port Sudan to Djibouti on Self Defense Forces aircraft.

Aiming at regional peace and stability, Japan is pursuing resolute diplomacy with neighboring countries and others, based on its national interests.
To China, Japan says the things that need to be said, including regarding unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force in the East China or South China Seas, and strongly urges China to act responsibly.
Bearing in mind the fact that 2023 is the 45th anniversary of the conclusion of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and China, our two countries will, through efforts made by both sides, establish a constructive and stable relationship in which we reliably hold dialogues repeatedly over time, including at the summit level, that also address outstanding issues of concern, while we cooperate on common issues.
As for relations with Russia, its aggression against Ukraine has shaken the foundations of the international order, and Japan will continue to stand firm in its responses. At the same time, with regard to economic activities such as fishing and other matters which Japan and Russia must deal with as neighboring countries, Japan will, within our overall diplomacy, respond appropriately while carefully considering the standpoint of what will contribute to Japan’s national interests. As for the issue of the Northern Territories, Japan will maintain the policy of resolving the territorial issue and concluding a peace treaty.
With the Republic of Korea (ROK), Japan held summit meetings three times over the course of two months, beginning with the March 2023 visit of President Yoon to Japan, until May. Another summit was held on the occasion of the NATO Summit in July. At the July Japan-ROK summit, Prime Minister Kishida stated that he welcomed the progress of cooperation between the governments and the private sectors of both countries in a wide range of fields, as the leaders of the two countries work together to pave the way for a new era in Japan-ROK bilateral relations. Prime Minister Kishida and President Yoon agreed to make further efforts so that the improvement of bilateral relations can be felt among the people of both countries. Japan will continue to engage in close communication with the ROK side in order to further develop Japan-ROK relations.
With North Korea, in accordance with the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration, Japan seeks to normalize relations with North Korea through the settling of the "unfortunate past" and the comprehensive resolution of the outstanding issues of concern with North Korea, such as the abductions, nuclear, and missile issues. However, in particular, the abduction of Japanese nationals, an issue whose resolution has time constraints, is a human rights issue about which we cannot let our mindfulness dwindle for even a moment, as the families of the victims continue to age. Accordingly, we will continue to convey the determination of the prime minister from the perspective of resolving outstanding issues of concern in Japan-North Korea relations and the two leaders jointly carving out a new era. Japan intends to engage in high-level consultations that report directly to the prime minister, to bring about summit-level talks at an early time.

In order to ensure the peace and security of Japan and ensure economic prosperity and other kinds of national interests in terms of the economy, we will reinforce our economic security efforts, taking into account the National Security Strategy and other relevant considerations.
In concrete terms, we will continue to steadily implement the Economic Security Promotion Act and further enhance our efforts, including by boosting our supply chain resilience for strategic goods and working to provide strong support for cultivating cutting-edge key technologies while smoothly enforcing our safety pre-screening system for core infrastructure and our patent non-disclosure system.
We will also work to rapidly reach a conclusion regarding our consideration of the legal system aimed at strengthening Japan’s information security, including security clearances.

At the G7 Hiroshima Summit held under the presidency of Japan in May 2023, we succeeded in achieving the outcomes we originally aimed to achieve, taking as our pillars upholding the free and open international order based on the rule of law and strengthening our engagement with international partners beyond the G7, including countries in the so-called Global South.
In concrete terms, the G7 discussed various issues facing the international community, such as food, development, health, climate change and energy, and the environment, together with eight invited countries and seven invited international organizations. We confirmed that a wide range of partners beyond the G7 will cooperate to try to tackle these issues and we succeeded in sharing our recognitions, including on concrete actions the G7 should take in the future.
Moreover, the G7, the invited countries, and the leader of Ukraine held discussions on world peace and stability, and we emerged with an aligned recognition of the importance of the rule of law and the principles of the UN Charter.
Based on the outcomes achieved at the Summit, Japan will proactively drive G7 discussions in order for the G7 to address the challenges facing the international community to the best of its ability.

At the G7 Hiroshima Summit, national leaders had a first-hand look at the tragic realities of the atomic bombings and, having had that experience, held candid discussions and confirmed their commitment to work towards a world without nuclear weapons. Moreover, with the issuing of the G7 Leaders’ Hiroshima Vision on Nuclear Disarmament, the first independent document ever released by the G7 leaders on nuclear disarmament, Japan regards the G7 Summit as having built momentum within the international community to work towards the realization of a world without nuclear weapons.
In the future, taking the G7 Leaders’ Hiroshima Vision on Nuclear Disarmament as a solid platform, Japan will press forward with realistic and practical measures by carrying out efforts under the Hiroshima Action Plan one by one.

Japan is serving as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council from 2023 to 2024.
This can be said to be a time of trial in which the UN Security Council is not able to function effectively in the face of the aggression against Ukraine by Russia or against the nuclear and missile activities of North Korea.
At the same time, the Council is playing a certain role in, for example, resolving conflicts in various locations, and many countries still hold expectations towards the Security Council.
Japan will aim to maintain and strengthen the international order based on the rule of law, while cooperating in order for the UN Security Council to fulfill its expected role, through close communication and careful dialogue with other UN Member States.

With the foundations of the international order being shaken because of Russia's aggression against Ukraine and other situations, we must return to the vision and principles of the UN Charter and, in order to restore the credibility of the United Nations, work to strengthen the functions of the United Nations, including through Security Council reform.

Japan will take a leading role in reforming the World Trade Organization, which plays a central role in the multilateral trading system, as well as in Economic Partnership Agreements such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). We will create a free and fair economic order, which is indispensable for Japan’s security and prosperity, and support the recovery and new growth of the global economy.
In addition, Japan will play a proactive role in international rule-making in order to promote Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT) in the digital age,

Bearing in mind the goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage, in our responses to infectious diseases that spread across borders and other concerns, Japan will, based on our Global Health Strategy drawn up in May 2022, contribute to the development and strengthening of medical systems for countering infectious diseases in developing countries, as well as to the development of vaccines, diagnostic agents, and therapeutic agents and the realization of equitable access to them.

Based on the outcomes of the G7 Hiroshima Summit, Japan will lead discussions to strengthen the international community’s frameworks regarding health (the Global Health Architecture), ensure the health of all (Universal Health Coverage), and make the greatest possible use of the power of innovation (health innovation). As concrete efforts, we aim, for example, to promote the MCM Delivery Partnership for Equitable Access in order to realize equitable access to medical countermeasures (MCM) for infectious diseases and to build an international cooperative framework for promoting impact investment (Impact Investment Initiative for Global Health (Triple I for GH)), based on the importance of the role of the private sector in international health.

Climate change is a common challenge to all humankind. Japan has positioned climate change countermeasures as the greatest challenge to be overcome through the realization of a New Form of Capitalism and we are now pressing forward with our efforts. As we work towards achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, we aim to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 46% in fiscal 2030 compared to our fiscal 2013 levels, and moreover we are continuing to take on the considerable challenge of cutting emissions by 50%.
We will introduce renewable energies and promote energy conservation while also making use of Japan’s technologies, systems, and know-how for achieving zero emissions from thermal power stations, including with regard to hydrogen and ammonia, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), and biomass. Around the world, and especially in Asia, we will contribute to support for energy transition towards decarbonization, to sustainable economic growth, and to ensuring a stable energy supply. We will also lead the development of technical standards and international infrastructure together with Asian nations. By doing so, we aim to join forces with like-minded countries in Asia to put the concept of an "Asia Zero Emissions Community" into concrete form.