Japan Press Weekly

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2017 August 23 - 29 [JCP]

Shii to press: Japanese gov’t must work to have N. Korea issue resolved through dialogue

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on August 24 at a press conference in the Diet building said that the Japanese government should play a significant role in settling the ongoing crisis pertaining to the North Korean nuclear and missile test issue through dialogue.

Shii talked about the responses from the U.S., the DPRK, and other nations to his statement which was released on August 12 in regard to how to overcome the current crisis. The statement calls on the U.S. and North Korean governments to exercise self-restraint and to hold direct talks without preconditions.

Shii cited a joint statement made to the Wall Street Journal which appeared on August 13 by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

In the joint statement, the two secretaries wrote that the U.S. “is willing to negotiate with Pyongyang” in exchange for North Korea’s “immediate cessation of its provocative threats, nuclear tests, missile launches and other weapons tests.” Regarding this, Shii pointed out that the U.S. government considerably relaxed its requirements for entering talks compared to the previous ones which demanded North Korean denuclearization.

Shii also referred to South Korean President Moon’s address at the nation’s Independence Day ceremony on August 15. In the address the president said, “North Korea has to at least cease additional provocations with its nuclear tests and missile launches to secure conditions for dialogue.”

Shii said that it is significant that Washington and Seoul almost at the same time declared that the cessation of North Korean military provocations is a condition for talks. In addition, Russia and China also call for a peaceful solution through dialogue, Shii stressed.

Shii pointed out that while nations concerned, including the U.S., are seeking to work out a diplomatic solution, only the Japanese government takes a negative stance toward holding negotiations and advocates a hard-line approach.

Shii quoted Foreign Minister Kono Taro as saying in an interview on August 22 that it is time to press Pyongyang until it decides to denuclearize. Shii said the Japanese government should stop adopting such an aggressive stance and instead take a role in working for a peaceful solution through dialogue.

Past related article:
> Shii calls on US and N. Korea to hold direct talks without preconditions [ August 12, 2017]