JCP welcomes North Korea-China-U.S. talks

The Japanese Communist Party has welcomed the planned high-level talks in Beijing between North Korea, China, and the United States.

On Fuji Television's political debate program aired live on April 20, JCP Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi said, "This can be a step forward toward peacefully resolving the question of North Korea's nuclear development through diplomacy instead of resorting to military force."

In the discussion, a university professor said, "The U.S.-British war on Iraq has been effective in pushing North Korea into talks."

Ichida said that he was critical of North Korean brinkmanship but added: "The United States had never been attacked by Iraq before it started its war simply on the grounds that Iraq was possibly dangerous. If such a response is endorsed as legitimate action, the United States will be free to choose more targets. If the United States continues with this kind of first strike policy, no country would allow weapons inspectors in. This was is inhumane and illegal and cannot be legitimized even though it may have prompted North Korea to agree to come to the negotiating table." (end)