The International Criminal Court is considering building a new regional office in Japan, which would be the first of its kind outside The Hague, in order to establish a stronger presence in Asia, a region underrepresented among the court's 123 members, its head said Friday.
"I personally would be keen for the ICC to have a permanent presence in the region, especially in Japan," ICC President Piotr Hofmanski said in an interview in Tokyo during his first visit to Japan since assuming the post in 2021.
It is a "tentative option" that is still being considered, he noted, but expressed hope that creating such a presence would help to "promote the ICC in Japan and in the region."