UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited Japan from May 17 to 20, 2026, marking a key diplomatic engagement amid Japan's 70th year as a UN member state [1]. On May 18, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met with Guterres and pledged Japan's firm support for multilateralism centered on the United Nations. She said, "Japan’s firm support for multilateralism centered on the United Nations will never change" [2].
During his visit, Guterres praised Japan's role in development cooperation and nuclear nonproliferation, calling its moral authority “very important at the current moment” [2, 1]. At the "Celebrating 70: Japan-UN Cooperation, Expo 2025 & the Future of Multilateralism" event in Tokyo on May 18, Guterres delivered remarks calling for reforms of the UN Security Council and the global financial architecture. He said, "The future of multilateralism will be secured by courage, reform and delivery. It will require institutions that reflect today’s world, not the world of eighty years ago. It will require financing that matches ambitions" [1].
Guterres noted that the current UN Security Council's composition no longer reflects the modern multipolar world. He described reform as "fundamental to enhance effectiveness and legitimacy in addressing today’s complex and multipolar world" [2, 1].
Japan's milestone of 70 years as a UN member in 2026 reinforced the pair's emphasis on renewing and strengthening multilateral institutions. The engagement underlined Japan's ongoing commitment to a rules-based international order centered on the UN.
Guterres' visit concluded on May 20, capping four days of meetings and events to boost cooperation between Japan and the UN going forward [1].
