Regarding North Korea, which repeatedly launches ballistic missiles, the United Nations Security Council held a meeting to discuss responses for the first time while Japan served as the chair country.
Last year, North Korea repeatedly launched ballistic missiles, and including cruise missiles, it launched at least 73 missiles into the Sea of Japan in the past year.
Regarding this, the United Nations Security Council held a private meeting on the 30th to discuss responses based on requests from the United States and others.
Since Japan became a non-permanent member of the Security Council this year and will serve as the chair country in January, this is the first time that a Security Council meeting has been held over the issue of North Korea.
According to diplomatic sources, at the meeting, 15 member countries, including Japan, which became a non-permanent member, discussed the Security Council's future response to the North Korean issue.
After the meeting, UN Ambassador Ishikane told reporters, "We had a meaningful exchange of views on the current situation of the North Korean issue and its assessment."
Regarding the North Korea issue, the United States and European nations have criticized North Korea for repeatedly violating Security Council resolutions, and have said that the Security Council should show a unified response, while China and Russia are increasing tensions around the Korean Peninsula. The United States is claiming that sanctions against North Korea should be relaxed, and the confrontation continues.
On the other hand, according to diplomatic sources, Japan will serve as vice chairman for the first time at the Security Council's North Korea sanctions committee, and will work toward the steady implementation of sanctions.