Global Policy Forum

Fifth Committee
60th Session of the United Nations General Assembly

Statement by H.E. Mr. Toshiro Ozawa
Ambassador of Japan to the United Nations

Mr. Chairman,

At the outset, I wish to extend to you and the other members of the bureau my heartfelt congratulations on your election. I would also like to express my appreciation to Mr. Sessi, the distinguished Chairman of the Committee on Contributions, for introducing his report.

Mr. Chairman,

As the second largest financial contributor to the United Nations and one that by itself shoulders nearly 20 percent of the Organization's financial burden, Japan places great importance on the issue of the scale of assessments. We are keenly aware that negotiations next year on the methodology of the scale will be the first opportunity to revisit this matter in 6 years since the year 2000. We can assure you that my delegation will participate actively in these negotiations.

Mr. Chairman,

Last month, our Foreign Minister, Mr. Machimura Nobutaka, made specific reference to this important issue of the scale of assessments when he addressed the General Assembly during the General Debate. He argued that a comprehensive review is needed in order to reach agreement on a scale structure that is more equitable and fair. He also stated that in the upcoming negotiations, Japan would make the utmost efforts to ensure that the status and responsibilities of Member States are duly taken into account in deciding their scale of assessments.

Mr. Chairman,

Japan at present has a scale of 19.468 percent, a very large figure compared to our GNI share which stood at about 14.7 percent when calculated in the year 2003. This scale obligates Japan to pay an assessed contribution that far exceeds the sum of the contributions made by 4 of the 5 permanent members of the Security Council. We have continued to pay our dues faithfully without conditions despite the fact that the Government of Japan has been faced with a huge, accumulated fiscal deficit and despite the fact that the Government of Japan has had to continually reduce total national expenditures in recent years owing to difficult financial circumstances.

Mr. Chairman,

We note that in Japan, a growing number of our people are voicing frustration and dissatisfaction with regard to the current burden-sharing in the United Nations. They are arguing, for example, that Japan's contribution is not fully appreciated in the UN, that the UN system of burden-sharing is not fair or that due regard is not paid in the UN to the concerns expressed by Japan despite the earnest support it has provided to the Organization. We believe that such voices reflect legitimate concerns and are closely related to problems faced by the United Nations today.

Mr. Chairman,

In order to facilitate better understanding of these concerns, allow me, once again, to pose two simple questions to you and the delegates to this Committee. First question: "Does the current methodology, which creates a discrepancy as much as 5 percent between the scale and the calculated GNI share of a Member State , truly reflect the principle of capacity to pay?" Second question: "By referring to the criteria of fairness, is it permissible to continue the status quo where, for example, four of the five permanent members of the Security Council put together shoulder less financial burden compared to a single Member State that is denied such status?

Mr. Chairman,

Needless to say, the Government of Japan is prepared to shoulder financial responsibility commensurate with its capacity to pay and its status in this Organization. We should point out, however, that unless we can give clear and convincing answers to these two questions to our taxpayers, we fear that there is a risk of "wavering commitment" of the Japanese people towards the United Nations. We will make every effort to eschew such a situation as we fully understand that this will not enhance the collective interests of this Organization. It should also be mentioned and understood by the members of this Committee, however, that like any other democratic government, the Government of Japan is obliged to fulfill its responsibility to be accountable to the people of Japan in an appropriate manner.

Mr. Chairman,

My delegation, together with the delegation of other Member States, will seek a system that would better reflect each Member State 's capacity to pay. We intend to seek a burden-sharing system which would reflect the fact those Member States with special status must assume commensurate special responsibilities. My delegation believes that embodying the concept of capacity to pay and the concept of responsibility to pay into our scale structure would enhance the legitimacy and soundness of the UN's financial basis and would therefore be in the interest of the entire Organization. My delegation will present its concrete proposals during the course of the coming negotiations.

Mr. Chairman,

Before concluding my statement, allow me to touch briefly upon the report of the Committee on Contributions. My delegation wishes to express its sincere gratitude to Mr. Sessi and other members of the Committee for all the work that went into producing the report. My delegation will participate in an exchange of views with Mr. Sessi and other delegates, and in due course would like to present Japan 's views on this document. We will also actively take part in discussions on exemptions to the application of Article 19 of the Charter and other issues related to arrears in payments.

Mr. Chairman,

I assure you that my delegation will engage in the discussions of the scale of assessments in a constructive manner. It goes without saying that we will listen closely to the views expressed by other Member States. At the same time, my delegation wishes to ask other Member States to carefully think through what we have mentioned and to respond in a constructive manner.

Thank you very much.