Japan defense chief calls for North Korea’s complete denuclearization

June 1, 2019

Singapore--Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya Saturday called for international cooperation to achieve the complete denuclearization of North Korea.

"There has been no essential change in North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities" since summit meetings between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Iwaya said in a speech at the Asia Security Summit, better known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, in Singapore.

Iwaya said that North Korea's firing of short-range ballistic missiles on May 9 violates U.N. Security Council resolutions and is "extremely regrettable."

He said, "North Korea maintains several hundred operational ballistic missiles, which have the whole territory of Japan within their reach." Pyongyang also "possesses ballistic missiles that can possibly reach the mainland United States and Europe," he said.

"Japan's position remains absolutely unchanged" in seeking the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of North Korea, he said. Japan, the United States and South Korea will work more closely on the issue, he said.

He also emphasized the significance of the full implementation of U.N. Security Council resolutions on North Korea.

Iwaya reiterated Tokyo's plan to normalize its diplomatic ties with Pyongyang after resolving North Korea's abduction, nuclear and missile issues comprehensively.

If North Korea takes the right path, "Japan will be unstinting in our assistance to unleash the potential North Korea holds," he said. Jiji Press