Permanent Representative to the UN, New York Yukio Takasu of Japan

Takasu was appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations as Assistant Secretary-General and Controller of the United Nations.

In April 2000, Ambassador Takasu was posted in Tokyo and played a pivotal role in promoting human security and launching the Commission for Human Security.

Takasu has also served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at the Permanent Mission of Japan to IIAEA, Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO, UNIDO and other United Nations bodies located in Vienna.

Ambassador Takasu was educated at the University of Tokyo (Faculty of Law) and Oxford University (Merton College.

During the Gulf crisis, Ambassador Takasu was in charge of formulating Japan’s contribution to the international efforts, including drafting UN Peacekeeping Cooperation Law.

Takasu was appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations as Assistant Secretary-General, Controller of the United Nations in New York.

In April 2000, Ambassador Takasu was posted in Tokyo and assumed the post of Director-General for the Multilateral Cooperation Department.

Takasu was appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations.

Takasu has just completed a year as a visiting fellow at Harvard University while concurrently holding an attachment to his country’s Embassy in Washington, DC.

Takasu was educated in the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo and at Merton College of Oxford University.

Takasu was born on 29 August 1949.

Takasu said that "maintaining peace and security is an essential prerequisite for successful post conflict peace-building efforts" and stressed the importance of "good governance, rule of law, respect for human rights and economic recovery and development.

Though Japan backs efforts undertaken by other countries in dispatching their forces and personnel, Takasu said he was pleased to report that Japan has "rejoined the international fight against terrorism by resuming its refueling activities in the Indian Ocean.

Asked if his country would approve further sanctions on Iran if the issue returns to the council, Takasu said he would be for consensus because the council's strength would be in its unified voice and in acting promptly and effectively.

Addressing the issue of Security Council reform, Takasu said the world had changed since the end of the cold war, and the nature of conflicts had also changed.

It's not that we do things because the United Nations has asked, but it's how we take advantage of the United Nations, in which Japan constitutes a key part," Takasu said at a recent press conference.

A native of Yokohama, Takasu joined the Foreign Ministry in 1969.

Takasu said the South Korean tests were not comparable with North Korea nuclear activities, because, he said, Pyongyang is not co-operating with the IAEA, or allowing inspections.

htm">Briefing the Council on the first year of the Commission's work, Ambassador Yukio Takasu said "it may be appropriate" to include other nations - aside from Burundi and Sierra Leone, which are already on its agenda - to its country-specific workload.