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JAPAN:

The representative from Japan cited five priorities for international cooperation. First, Japan attaches great importance to enhancement of the international legal framework for the preservation of the global environment. As proof of its commitment, Japan has ratified the Climate Change and Biodiversity Conventions. Second, Japan is committed to increasing its environment-related official development assistance (ODA) to cooperate with developing countries in their self-help efforts to achieve sustainable development. Third, in its environment-related ODA, Japan attaches importance to enhancing the capacity of developing countries to deal with environmental problems and to facilitating the transfer of environmentally sound technologies it has developed and expertise it has accumulated. Fourth, Japan has contributed positively to the enhancement of the financial mechanisms in this area, particularly the GEF. Finally, Japan is becoming more conscious of the importance of the global environment and must modify lifestyles accordingly.

Japan hopes that the INCD recognizes the global dimension of desertification while giving particular attention to the situation of Africa. Japan supports the resolution extending the mandate of the INCD until January 1995, but emphasizes that the Convention itself should be finalized by the INCD by June 1994. Japan supports the Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States and the proposal to convene a resumed PrepCom. Japan is making the necessary preparations to contribute US$100,000 to the voluntary fund. With regard to the Conference on Straddling and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, Japan welcomes the progress made, endorses the adoption of the resolution to convene two further sessions of the Conference and will contribute constructively to its success. Although Habitat has done excellent work since its establishment in 1976, coordination within the UN system has weakened and the activities of Habitat have become increasingly inefficient and ineffective. Japan is looking into reforms that might enable Habitat to operate in a more transparent, effective, efficient and professional manner. [Return to start of article]