On March 8, Next Minister of Foreign Affairs Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi and Next Minister of Defence Hajime Hirota issued the following statement:

On March 8, the Security Council of the United Nations unanimously approved the imposition of additional sanctions against North Korea in response to its third nuclear test. The Democratic Party of Japan applauds the unanimous decision of the international community to adopt a firm stance against acts of violence by North Korea, which threaten the peace and security of the world. We demand that North Korea treat the situation with the utmost gravity and comply with the UN resolution, which strongly condemns the country’s actions.

The resolution is in clear accordance with Article 41 in Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, giving it legally binding power. This is the severest resolution to date and includes obligatory shipping inspections and strengthened financial sanctions. The international community should strictly enforce the resolution and prevent North Korea from engaging in further provocations.

The Government of Japan must make every effort to immediately solve the nuclear, missile, and abduction issues by ensuring the effectiveness of the UN resolution through close cooperation with the nations concerned under the framework of international cooperation.