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The World Declaration on Human Rights, adopted in the UN General Assembly in 1948, is the most important basis regarding fundamental human rights. All international human rights treaties adopted then on are based on this declaration.

Governments that have ratified each of these treaties will be required to implement the standards set in the provisions in their own countries. At the same time, they are bound to submit periodic reports to treaty bodies in charge of observing the implementation of each treaty within countries. The treaty bodies review the government reports and give observations and recommendations.

Japan has so far ratified 7 international treaties: ICECR, ICCPR, CEDAW, CRC, CERD, CAT, and CED. Except for CED, ratified on February 2007, there have been periodic report review processes for all these treaties. Such reviews are significant because they bring to light the human rights violations that cannot be addressed by legislations or systems within the country, and provide specific ideas on how to take charge of the problems. IMADR-JC, as well as many other Japanese NGOs working to implement international human rights standards in Japan, take actions to make these processes effective for the improvement of human rights situations in Japan at each stage of the process, calling for effective dialogue with the government in the preparation of the government report, submitting NGO shadow reports to treaty bodies and lobbying at the review sessions, and calling for the implementation of the treaty body recommendations after the review process.

In December 2006, the Government of Japan submitted its 5th periodic report to the Human Rights Committee. This report will be reviewed in due course, bringing the situation of human rights in Japan provided in the convention before the committee to be observed. ICCPR, together with ICESCR are important conventions dealing with comprehensive themes and setting a basis for all other international conventions. Aware of the significance of this convention, IMADR took an active role in the previous review process of the government’s 4th periodic report. The Human Rights Committee made a number of important recommendations after the review, but, after 10 years, most of them have yet to be implemented. Regarding the review process of the 5th periodic report, IMADR-JC strives to engage in the process as part of a network of Japanese NGOs.

The Japanese government is also currently preparing periodic reports for ICERD and ICESCR. A concluding observation on CAT was also issued in May 2005. IMADR-JC is closely observing these important processes.