At the dawn of the twenty-first century, universal values such as freedom and democracy are gaining broad acceptance in the international community. At the same time, however, ethnic and religious conflicts continue to break out in many corners of the world, resulting in such problems as flows of refugees, human rights violations and other threats to the life and dignity of individuals. Moreover, technological advances are triggering problems, including global warming, that transcend national borders; with the globalization of the world economy, disparities in wealth are becoming wider and organized crime is increasing. Given this situation, it is now more essential than ever before that we address these human security issues from the perspective of ensuring that individuals are able to enjoy peaceful and prosperous lives in the new century.

Japan regards "human security" as an important perspective of its foreign policy, and has undertaken many initiatives - including the establishment of the UN Trust Fund for Human Security - with the aim of attaining a "human-centered twenty-first century." We are determined to maintain our efforts in such activities.

It was in response to the appeal which my predecessor, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, made at the United Nations Millennium Summit last September that the Commission on Human Security was established. I am sincerely gratified by this achievement. On the occasion of the Commission's first meeting, co-chaired by Mrs. Sadako Ogata and Professor Amartya Sen, I wish to extend a hearty welcome to all the Commissioners who are here today. I also would like to express my thankfulness to all those concerned for its cooperation.

In view of the abundant experience which each of the Commissioners brings to the table, I am confident that through a process of serious consideration and discussion, you will further develop the concept of human security so that it will come to be supported by people all over the world. More specifically, I sincerely hope that the Commission will propose a concrete and practical programme to address critical and pervasive threats to human security.

For my part, I would like to assure you of Japan's active support of the Commission's activities, and to convey my best wishes for its success.