Japan Press Weekly

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2017 August 30 - September 5 [JCP]

JCP condemns North Korea’s nuclear test and again calls for direct talks to defuse current crisis

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on September 3 issued a statement condemning North Korea’s nuclear test. The full text is as follows:

JCP condemns North Korea’s nuclear test and again calls for direct talks to defuse current crisis

Kazuo Shii
Chair, Japanese Communist Party
Member of the House of Representatives of Japan

Tokyo, Japan
September 3, 2017

Today, North Korea conducted its 6th nuclear test following the previous one in September last year. Pyongyang claimed that it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb designed to be transported by an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Along with 13 ballistic missile launches the country has carried out this year, the latest nuclear test poses a grave threat to global and regional peace and stability as well as constitutes a breach of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, the joint statements of the Six-Party Talks, and the 2002 Pyongyang Declaration signed by Japan and North Korea. This action defies the international community’s efforts for resolution through dialogue and the global trend seeking a nuclear weapons-free world shown by the recent adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

The Japanese Communist Party strongly condemns and protests North Korea’s act.

The greatest danger at present is the real and growing possibility that a military clash may be caused by an incident or miscalculation contrary to the intent of parties concerned, with tensions increasing between North Korea and the United States. If such a situation comes about, Japan would also be seriously affected. A military clash causing a heavy toll of lives must be prevented at any cost.

In my statement published on August 12, I stressed the need for the US and North Korea to hold direct talks to resolve the issue. This has become an urgent task that cannot be further delayed.

The JCP strongly urges North Korea to stop its military provocations immediately. And again, we call on the US and North Korea to exercise self-restraint and enter into direct talks to defuse the current crisis.

The UNSC President’s statement issued on August 29 calls for efforts by UN member states to “facilitate a peaceful and comprehensive solution through dialogue”. The JCP appeals to the global community and the Japanese government to prompt Washington and Pyongyang to hold direct talks, and take all possible measures to resolve the nuclear and missile issue in a peaceful and diplomatic manner.

In addition, we demand that the Japanese government change its attitude of rejecting talks and persuade the US administration to begin to engage in dialogue without delay.