[JURIST] A top Japanese judge on the International Criminal Court (ICC) Sunday called on more Asian governments to participate in the tribunal so its regional representation would be more balanced. Judge Kuniko Ozaki, who was elected to the ICC in January, said that both Asia and the Middle East are underrepresented on the court. Of the body’s 18 judges only two are Asian: Ozaki and current ICC president judge Song Sang-Hyun. Ozaki’s comments echo statements made by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton which encouraged other Asian countries to join the ICC following the ratification of the the Rome Statute by Bangladesh earlier this week.
On Monday, the Bangladesh Cabinet ratified the Rome Statute of ICC. The ratification will not, however, aid in Bangladesh’s pending war crimes trials in connection with the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War against Pakistan, as the ICC can only prosecute crimes that took place on or after the date the statute took effect in 2002.