Press Releases

　On September 9, commencing at 1:15 p.m. for approximately 35 minutes, Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs, received a courtesy call from Ms. Caroline Kennedy, U.S. Ambassador to Japan. The overview is as follows.

1. At the beginning, Minister Kishida stated that North Korea’s provocative actions and progress in its nuclear and missile development pose a direct and grave threat to Japan’s security, seriously undermine the peace and security of the regional and international communities, and are totally unacceptable. He also stated that Japan would like closely cooperate with the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and other countries concerned, including at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
2. In response, the U.S. side stated that a series of provocative actions taken by North Korea so far are clear violation of international law and are a threat to the stability of the region, that its defense commitment to the U.S. allies is unshakable as U.S. President Barack Obama expressed in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and, that the United States will closely cooperate with Japan and other countries concerned at the UNSC, imposing strong pressure on North Korea and making North Korea to face the consequences of its own actions.
3. Furthermore, the two sides reaffirmed that Japan and the United States, and Japan, the United States and the ROK, will collaborate and cooperate closely.
4. Ahead of this, Mr. Kenji Kanasugi, Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, and Ambassador Sung Kim, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy, exchanged views shortly by telephone.