Statement by H.E. Ambassador YAMAZAKI Kazuyuki, Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, at the United Nations Security Council Briefing on “Non-proliferation/Democratic People's Republic of Korea”

Thank you, Mr. President, for convening this critical meeting. I also thank ASG Khiari and Mr. James Byrne, the CEO and Founder of the Open Source Centre for their respective informative briefings. 

First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to once again express my deepest regret that the Panel of Experts, which had been playing a critical role to monitor the implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions, was forced to terminate its vital activities due to Russia’s veto one year ago.  

The intention behind Russia’s use of the veto—and North Korea’s clear alignment with it—was obvious. It was to paralyze the work of the Security Council and the 1718 Committee. This intention is now even clearer.

Last month, Pyongyang confirmed that its troops deployed to Russia have engaged in combat against Ukraine and Russia did the same, even though they had previously denied this in this Chamber. This constitutes a clear violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and now they publicly admit this unabashedly.

Their bilateral treaty can never justify this violation of the Charter. An invader can never justify their aggression with Article 51 of the Charter.

The Security Council has been rigged by a permanent Council member in its hope to veil its unlawful military cooperation with the DPRK. This is totally unacceptable behavior for a responsible permanent Council member and should never be tolerated.

Mr. President,

Even so, vigilant monitoring of violations of Security Council resolutions continues.

Like-minded countries, including Japan, established the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team last year, with a view to filling the significant gap that the Panel of Experts has left behind, and to assisting with the effective implementation of relevant Council resolutions.

Together with those efforts, we truly appreciate the efforts by civil society to complement the work of the UN and its Member States. Much information detailing unlawful transfers of arms and materials from North Korea and other instances of sanctions violations and evasions has been given to us at the Security Council, including through today’s briefing by the Open Source Centre. We will continue to engage in this endeavor to fully implement the sanctions measures. Japan, as a responsible UN Member State, strongly opposes any attempts to undermine the effective work of the Security Council and the esteemed principles of the UN Charter.  

No country has the right to criticize the legitimate activities of Member States and civil society, especially when that country itself breaches its obligations under relevant Council resolutions. We will continue to demand accountability under the UN Charter.

Those who engage in violations of Security Council resolutions must—and will—bear the consequences of their actions.
As the saying goes, “sunlight is the best disinfectant.” And our message is clear: malicious deeds will be exposed.

Mr. President,

The advancement of DPRK’s nuclear and missile activities is an imminent threat to the entire globe. I call on all UN Member States to uphold the nuclear non-proliferation regime, the very foundation of peace and security for the international community.

I also would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our consistent and steadfast commitment to nuclear non-proliferation as the Third Preparatory Committee for the 2026 NPT Review Conference is underway here at the UN.

Japan once again reiterates the strong voice of the international community urging Pyongyang to reverse course and to take concrete steps towards dismantling all its nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles and related programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner, as has been expressed throughout the Preparatory Committee.

I thank you, Mr. President.