Education, youth engagement key to crime prevention, says Japan’s Justice Minister

KUALA LUMPUR: Youth must be provided with proper and ample education which will expose them to master and learn the values of lawfulness, said Japanese Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa.

This urge of youth engagement, which will be among top agenda of discussions during the 14th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Japan’s Kyoto in April 2020 is one significant key in making societies resilient to crime, including the violence act due to active terrorism threats currently.

“The world today just not belong to us. As the leaders of tomorrow, the youth should be given valuable education, get engaged with it as well as to adapt the knowledge in their thinking and actions.

“It is through education and various social activities that they are able to see the values. For a sustainable society moving forward, the government and private sectors also need to cooperate to take appropriate action,” she told Bernama during her two- day official visit to Kuala Lumpur, recently.

Citing the Doha Declaration adopted at Qatar’s 13th UN Crime Congress in 2015, which outlined definitive action on comprehensive crime prevention and criminal justice policies and strategies, Kamikawa further explained education was recognised as a very effective mean.

“In order to help prevent crime and to establish the lawfulness of culture among the people, education plays its major role.

“Besides, it is also important to protect each and every youth individual human rights so that they’re able to act as part of the society members, and this is what they can learn through education,” she added.

Themed ‘Advancing Crime Prevention, Criminal Justice and the Rule of Law: Towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda’, the 14th UN Crime Congress or also known as Kyoto 2020 would be the second time Japan is hosting the largest international conference on crime prevention and criminal justice.

It is held once every five years. Japan last hosted the congress in 1970, in Kyoto.

On the same development, Kamikawa said the strong partnership between Japan and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime ( UNODC) for more than 50 years has paved the way towards realising Goal 16 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs).

She added, in fact, Japan would be interested to further enhance their warm relations with UNODC.

“Japan is committed to realise the SDGs, therefore we will continue working with them and elevate the relations.

“In regards to 2020 Congress, there will be pre- events that will come out with an effective declaration whereby we hope for a blueprint, in order to have the various active discussions and to ensure the success of not only the Congress.”

She noted Japan’s commitment through the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders ( UNAFEI) which conducts training annually in Japan for those in Criminal Justice activity areas as one prove of promoting the sound development of criminal justice systems and mutual cooperation in Asia and the Pacific Region.

The Goal 16 of UN SDGs highlights the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, the provision of access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable institutions at all level. — Bernama