Model United Nations: CETMUN XXI

United Nations office: Political and peacebuilding

affairs
President: Emilio Valle
Delegate’s Name: Pablo Javier Romero García
School: Centro Escolar del Tepeyac
Country: Japan
Topic b: Iraq armed conflict

Emperor: Naruhito
Prime minister: Yoshihide Suga
Government Type: Unitary dominant-party parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Location: Japan is an island country in East Asia, located in the northwest Pacific Ocean, It consists of a great
string of islands in a northeast-southwest arc that stretches for approximately 1,500 miles (2,400 km) through
the western North Pacific Ocean. It has four main islands; from north to south these are Hokkaido, Honshu,
Shikoku, and Kyushu.
Politics: Japan has a multi-party bicameral parliamentary representative democratic constitutional monarchy in
which the Emperor is the Head of State and the Prime Minister is the Head of Government and the Head of the
Cabinet, which directs the executive branch.
Constitution: Promulgated on 3 November 1946. It was drafted under the supervision of Douglas MacArthur,
the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (USA). Japanese scholars reviewed and modified it before
adoption. It changed Japan's previous authoritarian system of quasi-absolute monarchy or liberal autocracy with
a form of liberal democracy.
Law and criminal justice: Judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court and lower courts. There are three
types of lower courts: First the 438 summary courts, secondly the district courts, finally the eight high courts.
Language: primary language is Japanese, in addition there are 14 Ryukyuan languages spoken in Okinawa and
neighboring Ryukyu islands.
Religion: the most practiced religion is a syncretic blend of Shintoism and Buddhism.
Current days: Japan has renounced right to declare war or use military force in international disputes therefore
Japan is the second highest-ranked Asian country in the Global Peace Index 2020.
International organization participation: Japan is member of the UN (united nations), UNRWA ((United
Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees), is also member of the G-7 and the G-8.
Background: Japan was settled about 35,000 years ago by Paleolithic people from the Asian mainland. The
first era of recorded history in Japan is the Kofun (A.D. 250-538), which was characterized by large burial mounds
or tumuli. Buddhism came to Japan during the Asuka period, 538-710, as did the Chinese writing system. Japan's
unique culture developed rapidly during the Heian era (794-1185). Samurai lords took over the government in
1185 therefore they ruled Japan in the name of the emperor until 1868. In 1868 a new constitutional monarchy
was established, headed by the Meiji Emperor. Throughout World War I, Japan formalized its rule over Korea,
in addition they seized control of northern China. In the course of World war II Japan had an aggressive
expansion. Not until atomic bombs were dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki that the empire of Japan
surrendered to the allies. In 1947, Japan adopted a new constitution emphasizing liberal democratic practices.
From 1945 to 1952 Japan was occupied by allied forces. In 1956 Japan entered the UN into the bargain they
became the second largest economy in the world prior to 1990. In May 2019 a new emperor came to the throne
named Naruhito.
 Model United Nations: CETMUN XXI

Topic b: Iraq armed conflict

Iraq is a country submerged in an economic crisis due to the wars that have been there. Recently Iraq
has many post-civil war conflicts like: armed conflict against the Islamic State, which is responsible for
numerous terrorist attacks on the Iraqi army; against international terrorism, which has numerous
networks in Iraq, and there are tensions on a scale surrounding Iran and the United States around the
Persian Gulf( in which Irak is involved and in which Irak can become the battlefield of both countries ).

Japan doesn’t have an army, but it does have military forces known as “Japan Self-Defense Forces”.
This military power is restricted by article 9 which renounces Japan’s rights to declare armed conflict
or use military force in international disputes.

Irak is a country that has been involved in many armed conflicts; consequently, it is immersed in an
economic crisis in which it cannot satisfy citizens with basic needs such as food, medical services, etc.
Japan's only goal is to provide humanitarian aid to those refugees affected by armed conflicts. For this
reason in 2004 Japan ignored article 9 by sending Japanese self-defence forces to Iraq in order to
provide water supplies, rebuild public infrastructure and improve medical and educational services. In
total Japan sent 600 of soldiers of the “Self Defense Forces” to south Iraq in a peace mission to
reconstruct the country. 2 years later Japan withdrew the troops. Throughout this reconstruction
mission, no soldier was injured however, two Japanese diplomats were killed by the insurgents and
another 4 were kidnapped. In the present day Japan is a partner of UNOPS (United Nations Office for
Project Services) funding projects throughout Asia, Africa and the Middle East. This project focuses on
the reconstruction and rehabilitation in fragile environments and provides humanitarian aid. As an
example in 2015 through UNOPS, Japan provided more than 20 ambulances to the Iraqi medical
service to help displaced people and refugees from the war. In addition in 2018 Japan started a project
with the government of Iraq about improving the impact and effectiveness of community police in
liberated areas in Iraq. Japan provided equipment and specialized courses to the police community.
Japan also is a main partner of WFP (The United Nations World Food Programme). Last year Japan
donated 41 million dollars to provide food assistance for eight months for displaced people in camps.
Since 2014 Japan has helped this food programme adding more than 540 million dollars.

Solution: In order to solve the internal problems of Iraq, there must be an international military
intervention that will be in charge of stabilizing the national security of Iraq. This international force
made up of the support of the great powers (such as the United States, France, England and Japan)
will fight against the extremist sector of the Islamic State, which is responsible for numerous terrorist
attacks against civilians, and will find and dissolve any terrorist network that is currently in Iraqi territory.
This is not only in order to guarantee the security of the Iraqi people but also to guarantee international
security since the terrorist networks currently established in Iraq are responsible for various attacks at
the international level.

As for the scale of tension between Iran and the United States which could lead to a conflict that would
take place in Iraqi lands. Japan's solution is to continue with diplomatic meetings where the
disagreements of both countries will be discussed in order to avoid an armed conflict.
Economic support from both the United States and Iran is urgently needed in Iraq; avoiding an armed
conflict and decreasing the scale of tension between these countries would help to continue stabilizing
the Iraqi economy.
 Model United Nations: CETMUN XXI
References:

Gloria Torrijos. (2006). Japon anuncia retira tropas de Japón. 26/03/21, de El país Sitio web:
https://elpais.com/diario/2006/02/01/internacional/1138748411_850215.html

Anonymous. (2003). Japan approves shipment of troops to Iraq. 26/3/21, de El país Sitio web:
https://elpais.com/internacional/2003/12/09/actualidad/1070924404_850215.html?outputType=amp

Angel Bermudez. (2019). How Iraq got caught between Iran and the United States. 26/3/21, de BBC
Sitio web: https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-internacional-48290907

WWF ORG. (2020). New funds from Japan help WFP assist people displaced by conflict in Iraq and
still unable to return home. 26/3/21, de WWF org Sitio web: https://www.wfp.org/news/new-funds-
japan-help-wfp-assist-people-displaced-conflict-iraq-and-still-unable-return-home

UNOPS ORG. (2018). Japan continues support community police in Iraq. 26/3/21, de UNOPS Sitio
web: https://www.unops.org/news-and-stories/news/japan-continues-support-to-community-police-in-
newly-liberated-areas-in-iraq

UNOPS ORG. (2015). Japan provides ambulance for Iraq government. 26/3/21, de UNOPS ORG Sitio
web: https://www.unops.org/news-and-stories/news/japan-provides-ambulances-for-kurdistan-
regional-government-to-help-internally-displaced-persons-and-refugees