Ishiba at UN General Assembly: "A Bright Future Requires Facing History Head-On"

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on the 23rd (local time) that, marking 80 years since the end of the war, "No country can open a bright future without facing its history head-on."

According to Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei), Asahi Shimbun, and other sources, Prime Minister Ishiba remarked that he reaffirmed his commitment not to repeat the tragedies of war on the anniversary of the end of the war on August 15 last month.

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Prime Minister Ishiba emphasized that the spirit of tolerance in Asia has been a driving force for the world’s pursuit of lasting peace, mentioning the importance of future-oriented relations with South Korea, China, and Southeast Asia. He noted that Japan has been able to contribute to world peace thanks to Asia’s spirit of tolerance, and appealed for "solidarity over division, tolerance over confrontation."

He also strongly criticized Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip in Palestine, stating, "If Israel's unilateral actions continue, we will take new measures."

Japan has consistently supported a two-state solution. However, in consideration of requests from the Donald Trump administration in the United States, which opposes the recognition of a Palestinian state, Japan has decided to temporarily withhold recognition.

Nevertheless, Prime Minister Ishiba increased pressure on Israel by stating that the issue is not "whether to recognize the Palestinian state, but when to do so." He also called on Palestine to respond responsibly, including the release of hostages by Hamas.

Additionally, Prime Minister Ishiba diagnosed that the free and open international order based on the rule of law is under threat, declaring, "We will reject totalitarianism and irresponsible populism to avoid falling into narrow nationalism," and, "We will not tolerate discrimination and xenophobia."

He pointed out that the United Nations Security Council is not functioning adequately and stressed the need for UN reform, including the expansion of both permanent and non-permanent member states. He also criticized Russia, a permanent member, for using its veto power to block Security Council resolutions and for continuing its invasion of Ukraine. Japan has long advocated for expanding the number of permanent members, together with Germany, India, and Brazil.

Regarding North Korea, he stated, "The development of nuclear weapons and missiles poses a grave threat to the peace and security of the international community," and strongly called for "the full implementation of Security Council resolutions for complete denuclearization."

Meanwhile, according to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister Ishiba attended a reception hosted by President Trump and his wife on the evening of the 23rd, where he had a brief conversation with President Trump. This was the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since the Group of Seven (G7) summit in June. It is expected that this will be Prime Minister Ishiba’s last meeting with President Trump as prime minister.

Prime Minister Ishiba expressed his gratitude for President Trump's friendship and trust, stating, "The importance of the U.S.-Japan alliance in achieving world peace and prosperity will remain unchanged in the future."

Prime Minister Ishiba also held meetings with United Nations Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and others.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.