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Statement by H.E. Ambassador Motohide Yoshikawa
Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
Statement after the vote (DPRK)
2 March 2016
Mr. President,
Japan welcomes the unanimous adoption of this comprehensive and ground-breaking resolution. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the United States for taking the lead. Our appreciation also goes to China for their efforts. I also want to thank many Member Governments who co-sponsored this resolution 2270. Japan also contributed to and co-sponsored this resolution, because it sends a strong and unprecedented message to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Sanctions are important tools to finding a comprehensive solution to a problem, and to this end, there has to be dialogue. In order for the dialogue to be effective, there has to be pressure at the same time. This is the very reason why we now have this robust resolution.
Mr. President,
Japan, together with the international community, strongly condemns the repeated violations of Security Council resolutions by the DPRK. We urge the DPRK to fully comply with the relevant Security Council resolutions, including the one we have just adopted, as well as to honour its other international commitments. The DPRK must realize that this message is not only coming from the Members of the Security Council but from the international community as a whole. Let us be clear. No single country in the world supports the nuclear test nor ballistic missile launch by the DPRK.
Mr. President,
This resolution contains many important measures and I want to highlight some of them.
1) Banning the import from the DPRK of natural resources such as coal, iron, gold and rare earth minerals,
2) Banning the supply to the DPRK of aviation fuel including rocket fuel, and
3) Mandatory inspections of all cargo to and from the DPRK.
I will not go into further details simply because the robustness of this resolution speaks for itself.
Resolutions and sanctions are effective only when implemented. Therefore, what we have achieved today is not the end but only the beginning. Now we must fully implement the measures contained in this resolution. I take this opportunity to call on all Member States to fulfill our own obligations under the relevant Security Council resolutions. I wish to confirm that Japan will fully implement the resolution. In this connection, I would like to propose that the Chair of the 1718 Committee, Permanent Representative of Spain, to arrange an open briefing to go through the provisions of the new resolution with all the UN members.
Mr. President,
Sanctions are not the final objective. I would like to draw the attention of member governments, especially that of the DPRK, to paragraph 51 of the resolution, which says “it (the Security Council) shall keep the DPRK’s actions under continuous review and is prepared to strengthen, modify, suspend or lift measures as may be needed in light of the DPRK’s compliance.” Depending on the behavior and attitude of the DPRK, the Security Council is prepared to suspend or lift sanctions.
Mr. President,
Before concluding my statement, I would like to make clear that these sanctions are not meant to target ordinary citizens in the DPRK. We must not forget that nuclear and ballistic programmes of the DPRK are being pursued at the expense of the welfare of the people in the DPRK. Therefore, we welcome that the stronger emphasis is made in the resolution on humanitarian and human rights concerns, which include the abductions issue, one of Japan’s most outstanding concerns with the DPRK. In order to bring a comprehensive solution to the problems related to the DPRK, it is essential that the Security Council remain seized of the situation in the DPRK in all relevant aspects. We will continue to closely cooperate with our fellow partners in the Council and all Member States of the United Nations.
I thank you, Mr. President.
