Japan Press Weekly

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2017 September 6 - 12 [POLITICS]

JCP Koike: Proposed interdiction of N. Korean ships is de facto use of force

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira on September 9 on an Internet news program pointed out that the imposition of nonconsensual inspections of North Korean ships, which the U.S. proposes as part of the new sanctions against North Korea, is tantamount to the use of force.

After North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test earlier this month, the U.S. submitted to the UN Security Council the draft of an additional sanction package. In the package, the U.S. seeks to prevent North Korea from importing oil as well as to authorize UN member countries to forcibly stop and search North Korean ships at sea.

Koike on a YouTube news channel, “Weekend News”, operated by a civil journalists’ group, commented on the U.S. draft. He quoted a New York Times article as saying, “[I]f the sections authorizing interdictions at sea survive, it could set the stage for some of the tensest encounters on the high seas.”

Koike stressed that in order to deal with the North Korea issue, the JCP proposes strictly implementing economic sanctions in place and seeking a solution through dialogue. He stated, “A tighter sanction is necessary, but it should be aimed at promoting dialogue not at punishing and threatening the country. The U.S.-proposed ship inspection program appears to go beyond the bounds of acceptable sanctions.”

The JCP secretariat head said, “Even if the boarding inspection provision is excluded from the sanction package at UNSC meetings, the U.S. might carry out forcible inspections without help or consent from other countries. This would create a hair-trigger confrontational situation. In this context, the international community is now at an important junction in regard in deciding what course of action to take.”

Koike criticized the Japanese government for being reluctant to promote talks although Japan has Article 9 and is the only A-bombed country in the world. He stressed that the Japanese government should call on the U.S. government to hold direct talks with North Korea.

Past related article:
> Shii issues statement condemning N. Korea’s missile launch [August 30, 2017]