# 【9月21日】国連総会、高市総理が初の一般討論演説へ - Show: News Connect あなたと経済をつなぐ5分間 #ニュースコネクト - Published: 2026-09-21 - Canonical: https://podc.club/en/episode/1608666340_cb1373321219.html - Audio: https://anchor.fm/s/81fb5eec/podcast/play/126038849/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-8-20%2F9464b8c0-8d71-d137-e215-b52dafa18b51.mp3 - Source: Edited from a machine transcript of the first 30 minutes of the episode. Not an official summary. UN General Assembly High-Level Week is being held in New York from September 18 to 28, and Japan's Prime Minister Takaichi (高市) is set to meet with President Trump on September 22 and deliver her first General Debate speech as prime minister. The episode also explains why thousands of bilateral summits take place during this single week when 193 countries gather, and previews this year's high-level meetings on topics such as climate change, human rights, and nuclear disarmament. ## What this episode answers ### When and where is UN General Assembly High-Level Week being held? It is being held in New York, USA, from September 18 to 28. ### When will PM Takaichi and President Trump meet, and what are they expected to discuss? They will meet on September 22; they are expected to reaffirm the importance of the Japan-US alliance and discuss a range of topics including the continuing tensions in the Middle East. ### What is PM Takaichi expected to speak about in her General Debate speech? Given the deteriorating situation in the Middle East, she is expected to speak about maintaining and strengthening the international order and the importance of freedom of navigation. ### Why do thousands of bilateral summits take place during this one week? Because it is a rare occasion when the leaders of all 193 UN member states gather in one place at the same time, so diplomatic officials from each country scramble to arrange summit meetings so as not to miss the opportunity. ### What themes are covered by this year's high-level meetings during High-Level Week? This year's meetings are set to cover climate action, including the promotion of climate justice, sea-level rise, pandemic prevention and preparedness, human rights, and nuclear disarmament. ## Article ## Meeting a Woman Who Works for a UN Agency At the top of the episode, host Takemura Yukiko (竹村ゆきこ) shared an experience from a barbecue hosted by people affiliated with UN agencies, which she attended after being invited by an acquaintance. There she met a woman from Ghana living in Japan who works and does research on sustainability-related fields such as urban passenger transport, and who spoke with pride about how her work contributes to building a better future. Takemura reflected that behind the UN agency reports the show has covered so far lies the effort of specialists like her from around the world. ## What Is UN General Assembly High-Level Week? This episode's main topic is UN General Assembly High-Level Week, being held in New York, USA, from September 18 to 28. During this period, thousands of bilateral summits take place at and around UN headquarters. Because it is a rare occasion when the leaders of all 193 UN member states — essentially every country in the world — gather in one place at the same time, diplomatic officials from each country scramble to arrange summit meetings so as not to miss the opportunity, which is why so many meetings are held. ## PM Takaichi's First General Debate Speech and Meeting with President Trump Japan's Prime Minister Takaichi is scheduled to meet with US President Trump on September 22. In addition to reaffirming the importance of the Japan-US alliance, the two are expected to discuss a range of topics, including the continuing tensions in the Middle East. Takaichi will also deliver the General Debate speech that is a customary feature of High-Level Week, the first time she has done so as prime minister. Given the deteriorating situation in the Middle East, she is expected to speak about maintaining and strengthening the international order and the importance of freedom of navigation. ## From Climate Change to Nuclear Disarmament: A Wide Range of High-Level Meetings Beyond the General Debate, High-Level Week brings together senior government officials for a variety of high-level meetings. This year's meetings are set to cover climate action, including the promotion of climate justice, sea-level rise, pandemic prevention and preparedness, human rights, and nuclear disarmament. Takemura noted that none of these challenges can be solved by any single country alone, and that the UN General Assembly — where every country, regardless of size or economic power, holds one equal vote and resolutions are adopted accordingly — is an important venue for gauging the direction of the international community. The General Assembly opens in September and spends the following year discussing more than 170 agenda items. ## New York Under Heavy Security Takemura, who lives in New York, said that around this time of year the area along the East River near UN headquarters becomes extremely congested. Long VIP motorcades appear everywhere, traffic restrictions cause major jams, and it becomes hard even to catch a taxi. Security is heavy and the whole city is tense. With leaders and heads of state, foreign ministers, and senior government officials from 193 countries all arriving in New York at once, Takemura said it's understandable that the city goes on high alert. She added that the show will not release an episode the following day, September 22, and that coverage of Takaichi's General Debate speech and the Japan-US summit will be delivered later in a regular weekday slot. ## Takeaways - PM Takaichi is set to meet President Trump on September 22 to discuss the Japan-US alliance and Middle East tensions. - PM Takaichi will deliver her first General Debate speech at the UN General Assembly, addressing the maintenance of international order and freedom of navigation. - This year's High-Level Week will host meetings on a wide range of topics, including climate change, human rights, and nuclear disarmament.