High-sea inspections of N-Korean ships create more tensions

Japan Press Weekly

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

High-sea inspections of N-Korean ships create more tensions

The three ruling parties and the Komei Party on May 19 used their majority power to pass a bill on cargo inspections on board foreign ships in the House of Representative Committee on Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism. The Japanese Communist Party voted against the bill.

The bill enables Japan to conduct boarding inspections on the high seas against foreign ships, mainly North Korean ships, suspected of carrying weapons.

JCP representative Akamine Seiken in opposition to the bill stated, “Japan already has a trade embargo and an embargo on all North Korean boats and ships. Using cargo inspections as an excuse, the bill authorizes Japan Coast Guard and Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force ships to put further pressure on North Korea even outside Japanese territorial waters, which may increase military tension and worsen the situation.”

Akamine pointed out that the international arms embargo based on U.N. Security Council resolution 1879 is enough, if each country carries out inspections within its own territory in cooperation with each other.”

- Akahata, May 20, 2010