JCP opposes Diet resolution protesting North Korea's 'missile launch'

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

JCP opposes Diet resolution protesting North Korea's 'missile launch'

The House of Representatives on April 7 adopted a resolution to "protest North Korea's missile launch."

The resolution was proposed by the ruling bloc of the Liberal Democratic-Komei parties and cosponsored by the opposition Democratic and the People's New parties.

The Japanese Communist Party voted against the resolution and the Social Democratic Party abstained from voting.

Claiming that North Korea carried out a "missile launch," the resolution states that the rocket launch was "in clear violation" of the U.N. Security Council resolutions 1695 and 1718, which prohibit North Korea from undertaking missile-related activities.

The House of Representatives resolution also urges the Japanese government to impose tougher sanctions of its own against North Korea.

At the Lower House Diet Steering Committee board meeting earlier in the day, Japanese Communist Party representative Sasaki Kensho made the following statement in opposition to the resolution:

"On March 31, the House of Representatives adopted a unanimous resolution urging North Korea to exercise restraint on the planned 'rocket launch.' On that occasion, we made an effort to get a resolution supported by all parties in the House of Representatives.

This time around, it was also necessary to make efforts to adopt a unanimous resolution. Nevertheless, the ruling parties insisted on its resolution that would go back to the status that existed before the previous unanimous resolution, making it impossible to adopt a unanimous resolution.

In the present resolution there are three points that we cannot agree with.

First, it arbitrarily concludes that North Korea launched a missile. However, Matsumoto Jun, deputy chief Cabinet Secretary, in answer to my question at the House of Representatives steering committee board meeting on April 6 stated, 'The government has not yet officially concluded that it was a "missile".' The Diet should not arbitrarily conclude that it was a missile launch without any evidence that would support the claim.

Secondly, based on the unilateral assertion that it was a missile, the resolution argues that it was 'in clear violation' of the U.N. Security Council resolutions. However, it is impossible to arrive at that conclusion. The JCP cannot accept this.

Thirdly, the resolution says Japan should strengthen its sanctions against North Korea. This is a deviation from the agreement of the Six-Party Talks that calls on all parties concerned to refrain from taking any actions that would aggravate the situation.

Because of these three points of contention, the JCP votes against the resolution."

- Akahata, April 8, 2009