The Secretary-General today met separately with Mr. Natsuo Yamaguchi, Chief Representative of the Komeito Party and member of the House of Councillors (Upper House), and Mr. Nobutaka Machimura, Speaker of the House of Representatives.

In both meetings, the Secretary-General commended Japan for its strong support for the work of the United Nations. The Secretary-General and his interlocutors discussed various items on the UN agenda, including peacekeeping, development and humanitarian assistance, as well as human security and the empowerment of women.

With Mr. Yamaguchi, the Secretary-General thanked him for his contribution to global demining efforts.

In his meeting with Mr. Machimura, the Secretary-General emphasized the critical role of parliament in securing financial and other support for the UN agenda.