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2009 March 18 - 24 TOP3 [NORTH KOREA]

Kasai urges Japanese government to show restraint regarding North Korea’s satellite launch plan

One of the topics discussed on NHK’s ‘Sunday Debate’ program aired on March 22 was the issue of North Korea’s satellite launch. Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Kasai Akira said it is important to urge North Korea to not do anything that would increase tensions. He also said that Japan should not worsen the situation by expressing a readiness to respond militarily to North Korea’s move.

Hold Six-Party Talks

The debate began when North Korea announced its plan to launch a satellite, which has been interpreted in Japan as a ballistic missile test, sometime between April 4 and April 8. The moderator, Shimada Toshio, asked each panelist to comment.

Ruling Liberal Democratic Party representative Nakatani Gen (former Japan Defense Agency director general), said, “North Korea should stop developing missiles. The Japanese government should take all possible measures to force them to stop.”

JCP representative Kasai Akira said as follows:

“U.N. Security Council Resolution 1718 adopted in October 2006, in the 13th paragraph states that the Security Council welcomes and encourages further efforts by all States concerned to intensify their diplomatic efforts, to refrain from any actions that might aggravate tension, to achieve the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, and to maintain peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in North-East Asia.

It is necessary to call on North Korea to stop taking any actions that would aggravate the situation. At the same time, if the Japanese government takes military approach, that will increase tensions. So, it is important for all sides to exercise restraint.

The U.N. Security Council resolution appreciates the effort to initiate an immediate resumption of the Six-Party Talks in cooperation with all countries concerned and encourages further efforts.

I want to stress that under the present circumstances the Six-Party Talks should be held with Japan, the U.S., South Korea, Russia, China, and North Korea participating.”

Do everything possible using diplomatic efforts!

Regarding the SDF “guidelines for action in emergencies” that specify procedures for destroying ballistic missiles and satellites, after Nakatani said, “The SDF will be ready to carry out a possible order from the defense minister to destroy the missiles,” Kasai made the following remarks:

“The missile defense system itself was introduced as a military response to perceived threats. We still have two weeks (before April 4-8, when North Korea plans to launch its rocket). We should make every possible effort to prevent tensions from increasing.

In 2003 when the Six-Party Talks began, all parties concerned, including North Korea, agreed to ‘refrain from any action that would worsen the situation in the process of a peaceful solution.’ Based on this basic agreement, both sides (North Korea and Japan) should not do anything that exacerbates the tension. The discussion of a military response to a North Korean missile launch itself will lead to an increase in tensions. Japan should pursue every diplomatic effort to reduce tensions.”

Nakatani during the discussion also said, “It is certainly necessary to make diplomatic efforts, and North Korea is talking about a freeze on its missile program in the Six-Party Talks. To make the country keep its word, international cooperation is essential.”

Criticism with reason

The discussion went on to a possible “response of the U.N. Security Council after North Korea’s rocket launch.” Kasai commented on this as follows:

“U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon states that whether the North Korean rocket launch is in violation of the U.N. Security Council resolution or not will be discussed based on the facts. This means that the UNSC will determine whether a subsequent response or additional sanctions at that point.

The important point is that North Korea has not dealt adequately with its past international lawless acts. This is why we must criticize North Korea –based on facts and with reason”

The moderator concluded the discussion on this theme by stating, “We certainly still have several days left (until the rocket launch). I want to see what changes there will be in the international community or whether there will be a change in North Korea itself or not.”