[Title] Statement by H.E. Dr. Yukio Hatoyama, Prime Minister of JAPAN, at the Informal High-level Event, the Fifteenth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Conventionon Climate Change

Prime Minister Rasmussen,

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,

Distinguished delegates,

Ladies and gentlemen,

First I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and pay sincere tribute to Prime Minister Rasmussen, who is presiding over this event.

As I was leaving Japan for Copenhagen, I was informed of the serious difficulty that the negotiations were running into. Nevertheless, in order to save our beautiful planet, we must somehow find a way to bring the negotiations to a successful close. And it is extremely important for each country to leave their egoism aside and work together for the sake of our children and grandchildren. It is with this very spirit that I am here in Copenhagen today.

I have been doing absolutely everything in my power to achieve such a result. I announced Japan's aim to reduce its emissions by 25% by 2020 if compared to the 1990 level, despite concerns of the industry. The day before yesterday, Japan announced that it would provide assistance to developing countries in the amount of about 15 billion US dollars in total up to 2012, including 11 billion in public financing. These are premised upon the establishment of a fair and effective international framework by all major economies and agreement on their ambitious targets.

Last night, when we gathered in an effort to break the deadlock, I insisted that we come up with a single political document to present to the world. I insisted, because I believe that it is required of us to produce a robust, if not necessarily perfect, political agreement, taking due consideration of the already finalized points in the two Working Groups. If we cannot manage that, then we will not have fulfilled our responsibilities as world leaders; what a disgrace to the world indeed.

With a shared sense of determination, we have poured our utmost efforts into producing such a political agreement. I believe that, this afternoon, we should adopt the outcome of our efforts, with the endorsement of everyone here in this room. If we can do that, it means that we have taken a major step forward, today in Copenhagen, towards an all-participatory international framework, by rising above our diverse national interests for a greater cause of saving our planet and for our future children.

And our task ahead should be that of drawing up a comprehensive new legal document possibly by the middle of next year, based on today's languages of political agreement. It will be a hard task. We cannot pretend that we have a lot of time left. And that makes it all the more essential for world leaders to continue to be personally engaged in the process. I reiterate that I intend to spare no effort in this endeavor, and I sincerely call on all of you here today to join forces and work together to realize our shared goal.

I hope that today will be a historic day.

Thank you.