Press Releases
Responses to Ballistic Missile Launches by North Korea
In response to the ballistic missile launches by North Korea on June 22, 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately lodged protests against North Korea twice based on the instruction by Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs. Additionally, pursuant to Minister Kishida’s instruction, at the Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue (NEACD) in Beijing, Japan lodged a strong protest against North Korea again, and exchanged views and confirmed close coordination with countries concerned such as the United States, Japan’s ally, and the Republic of Korea (ROK). The overview is as follows;
1. Today’s ballistic missile launches by North Korea are provocations that undermine the peace and security of the region and the international community including Japan. They are violations of a series of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions including Resolution 2270 (PDF)
and the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration, and are also against the spirit of the Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks. Therefore, they are totally unacceptable.
2. Based on this position, Mr. Kenji Kanasugi, Director-General of Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, who is visiting China from June 22 to participate in the NEACD, exchanged views individually with government officials of the United States, the ROK, China and Russia including the Heads of Delegation of the Six-Party Talks respectively, and confirmed that countries concerned will coordinate closely at such fora as the UNSC.
3. Additionally, Director-General Kanasugi had a contact with Ms. Choe Son-hui, Deputy Director-General of Department of US Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of North Korea, and lodged a strong protest over the ballistic missile launches. Director-General Kanasugi also raised security issues including North Korea's nuclear and missile development and conveyed Japan's position. In addition, Director-General Kanasugi strongly urged North Korea to return all the abductees to Japan at the earliest possible date based on the agreement in Stockholm.
4. Furthermore, on June 22, Mr. Chikahito Harada, Government Representative (the Ambassador for Japan-Russia relations), exchanged views about the ballistic missile launches by North Korea with Mr. Igor Vladimirovich Morgulov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, who is visiting Japan for the Japan-Russia Peace Treaty Negotiations. They confirmed mutual cooperation at such fora as the UNSC.
5. In addition, Japan, as a member of the UNSC, has been cooperating closely with the United States and the ROK in order to issue a strong message at the UNSC.
(Reference 1) Government officials with whom Director-General Kanasugi exchanged views
(Reference 2) Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue (NEACD)
NEACD is a symposium held by the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC) of the University of California, San Diego.