Japan backs ICC at UN as Trump attacks court, PM Takaichi avoids direct US criticism

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi used her first address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday (Sep 22) to reaffirm Tokyo’s support for the International Criminal Court and the rule of law.

Speaking in New York, Takaichi said Japan had consistently supported international judicial institutions since the end of World War II, including the ICC, the International Court of Justice and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. “Since the end of the Second World War, Japan, as a peace-loving nation, has attached great importance to the rule of law in the settlement of any disputes,” Takaichi said.

Her remarks came against the backdrop of US sanctions against Tomoko Akane, the Japanese national serving as ICC president. Japan has previously described the US measures against Akane as “incompatible” with its position and said it had repeatedly urged Washington not to impose the sanctions.

Takaichi did not directly criticise the United States in her UN address. Instead, she placed Japan's position within its broader commitment to international law and multilateral institutions. US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, used his own UN speech on Tuesday to attack the ICC and call on all member states to leave the court.

Takaichi says post-Cold War era is over

Takaichi told the General Assembly that the “stable post-Cold War era” had ended, as geopolitical competition and conflicts put pressure on the international order. Yet she argued that the UN remains essential.

“There has never been a time when the United Nations was more important than it is today in bringing about peace and stability to the world,” she said.

The Japanese prime minister said unilateral attempts to change the status quo through force or coercion could not be accepted, citing Russia's war in Ukraine as the “most obvious example”.

She also pointed to the paralysis of the UN Security Council, where Russia, a permanent member, has used its veto on resolutions concerning its own actions.

North Korea, Taiwan tensions

Takaichi described North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile programmes, as well as its cyber activities, as a serious threat to international peace and security. She called for the complete denuclearisation of North Korea and said Japan remained ready for dialogue over the long-running issue of Japanese citizens abducted by Pyongyang.

Iran war raises energy concerns

The conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran also featured in Takaichi's address. She said shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was facing increasing challenges and warned that disruptions to fuel, chemical products, medical supplies and fertilisers were affecting economies and households.

Japan is preparing a comprehensive cooperation plan aimed at strengthening the economic and energy resilience of Gulf countries, she said. "Concerns about arbitrary export restrictions are growing throughout the international community," she said, adding that Tokyo has also launched the Partnership on Wide Energy and Resources Resilience Asia, or POWERR Asia, to improve energy and resource security across the region.

Takaichi said Japan would continue working with other countries to protect free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Japan seeks bigger UN Security Council

A major part of Takaichi's speech focused on reforming the UN itself. She said the Security Council's current structure reflects the international situation of 1945 and no longer represents today's global realities.

Japan wants both permanent and non-permanent membership expanded to make the council more representative and legitimate, she said. “The current structure of the Security Council, whose mandate is to maintain international peace and security, reflects the international situation as it stood in 1945,” Takaichi said.