Japanese PM Takaichi voices support for ICC, rule of law in first UN speech

NEW YORK – Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Sept 22 voiced support for the International Criminal Court in her UN General Assembly address, underscoring Japan’s commitment to the rule of law while avoiding direct criticism of US sanctions targeting the court’s president and others.Takaichi also described Japan as a “peace-loving nation” that has upheld its exclusively defence-oriented policy, pushing back against Chinese criticism of her government’s defence build-up programme as reflecting rising “neo-militarism”.The UN speech, her first as premier, comes as doubts persist over the 81-year-old global institution’s ability to address challenges to rules-based order, including the Middle East war, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and North Korea’s nuclear and missile development programme.The Prime Minister told the assembly in New York that the “‘stable era after the Cold War’ is already a thing of the past”, but that there has “never been a time when the United Nations was more important for bringing peace and stability to the world”.At home, attention on the Prime Minister’s speech has focused on how she would respond to US sanctions against Tomoko Akane, the Japanese national serving as president of the ICC. Washington views the court in The Hague as a threat to state sovereignty.The remarks, which stopped short of criticising the United States, follow scrutiny of her initial reaction that the sanctions were “very unfortunate”. Takaichi later said the measures are “incompatible” with Japan’s position.Pledging to work to maintain the international order, Takaichi said Japan “cannot accept” unilateral attempts to change the status quo, citing Russia’s aggression against Ukraine as “the most prominent example”.She also called for the denuclearization of North Korea, describing its pursuit of arms as a “grave threat” to peace and security, and expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue to resolve the long-running issue of Japanese abductees.Takaichi said Japan has “emphasised the rule of law in the resolution of all conflicts” since the end of World War II, a position reflected in its “consistent support” for international courts, including the ICC.With the global economy facing uncertainty from the US-Israeli war against Iran and disruptions to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, Takaichi said Tokyo is compiling a comprehensive cooperation plan to strengthen the economic and energy resilience of Gulf states.“Concerns about arbitrary export restrictions are growing throughout the international community,” she said, adding that Japan has launched initiatives, the Partnership on Wide Energy and Resources Resilience Asia, to ensure energy supply resilience and provide financial support.Japan has faced exports controls from Beijing, including on rare earths amid sharply deteriorating ties, after Takaichi suggested in Parliament in November 2025 that a Chinese attack on Taiwan, a self-ruled island claimed by Beijing, could trigger a response from Japanese defence forces in support of the United States.Takaichi’s determination to support the United Nations as Japan marks 70 years since its admission to the organisation included calls for reform of its Security Council. She urged the expansion of its permanent and non-permanent membership to better reflect the international community today.The body tasked with safeguarding peace has been viewed as incapable of preventing recent conflicts such as the invasion of Ukraine, due largely to the veto power of the five permanent members, the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.Amid fears over the potential threat of human extinction posed by advanced artificial intelligence, Takaichi said Japan intends to strengthen cooperation on the technology and hold an AI summit in Japan at an early date.Regarding global warming, the Prime Minister cited growing concerns about natural disasters in Japan and around the world to advocate for action, saying that she believes “climate change measures and economic growth can be achieved together”.During the Prime Minister’s visit, she met US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.In a press conference on Sept 23, Takaichi said she had also met British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, respectively. KYODO NEWS