North Korea’s launch of a military reconnaissance satellite using ballistic missile technology triggered panic in Japan last week, followed by strong reactions across the country. Japan’s parliament strongly condemned the action and was followed by the country’s largest trade union confederation—representing millions of Japanese—which issued a strongly worded statement.
North Korea had informed Japan on Nov. 21 that it would launch a missile sometime between Nov. 22 and Dec. 1. The unexpected launch late in the evening of Nov. 21 triggered panic as the government briefly issued an emergency evacuation warning to residents of Okinawa.
North Korea’s space agency subsequently reported that its Malligyong-1 satellite was placed in orbit. State media said the satellite would officially begin its reconnaissance mission starting Dec. 1, following a period of fine-tuning. The launch followed two failed attempts earlier this year.
An hour after the satellite launch, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida received a report on the situation and convened an emergency national security meeting. He told the media that North Korea’s use of ballistic missile technology for the rocket launch was a clear violation of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution and posed a serious security threat to Japan.
Japan’s House of Representatives acted quickly to pass a resolution condemning the launch. The largest union in Japan’s civilian sector also issued a statement of condemnation.
A Firm Stance Against ‘Reckless Behavior’
On Nov. 24, the Japanese House of Representatives gathered in a plenary session. It unanimously approved a resolution demanding an immediate end to North Korea’s provocative actions, and called for U.N. sanctions.
The resolution highlighted a troubling trend: “In just the last year, North Korea has fired over 80 ballistic missiles. This isn’t just frequent; it’s unprecedented and a severe threat to everyone. The missiles launched in October last year and August this year, which flew right over our nation, pose a direct and urgent danger to our safety and security. Such reckless behavior by North Korea blatantly violates the United Nations Security Council resolutions and the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration. We cannot and will not tolerate this.”
The Japanese lawmakers called for North Korea to “immediately abandon their nuclear and ballistic missile development plans.”
The resolution also urged the global community to come together for peaceful solutions, aligned with United Nations Security Council resolutions. Japan pledged to push for stronger, fully implemented sanctions against North Korea, and to collaborate closely with allies like the United States and South Korea for tougher, more effective measures.
The resolution also took a humanitarian turn, addressing the longstanding issue of North Korean abductions of Japanese citizens. It called the nuclear and missile threats and the abduction issue “the most important issues related to our sovereignty and the lives and safety of our people.”
Japan has evidence of 17 abductions committed as part of a North Korean kidnapping campaign in the 1970s and 80s, but suspects there were many more victims.
In the wake of the resolution’s unanimous approval, Mr. Kishida pledged “to make every effort to ensure the peace and security of our country and the safety of the people.”
The Japanese government is set to take steps to dramatically strengthen its defense capabilities and enhance national defense deterrence, while addressing the issues of North Korea’s nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, and abduction of Japanese citizens, Mr. Kishida said.
Labor Powerhouse: A Strong Voice Against North Korea’s Actions
The reaction to North Korea’s provocative actions wasn’t limited to Japan’s government corridors. On Nov. 22, just a day after the missile launch, the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO) made its stance clear in a statement condemning North Korea’s defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions.The statement from RENGO’s Secretary-General statement was a three-part call to action, protesting North Korea’s disregard for international resolutions, condemning its provocations and calling for an end to nuclear and ballistic missile development, and urging the Japanese government and the global community to take decisive measures.
The RENGO statement referenced the threat from North Korea to Japan’s ships, aircraft, and fisheries, and said “acts that threaten the lives and property of Japanese people are absolutely unacceptable.”
It acknowledged that economic sanctions and military pressure haven’t yet swayed North Korea. The trade union confederation urged the Japanese government and its allies to think outside the box, combining all available strategies, including direct dialogue, to halt North Korea’s ballistic missile tests immediately, end its nuclear weapons development, and secure the release of abducted Japanese citizens.
Persistent Disregard for UN Security Council Resolutions
The United Nations Security Council has opposed North Korea’s actions for more than a decade. From 2006 to 2017, it unanimously passed 11 sanction resolutions against the country.Each resolution demanded that North Korea stop using ballistic missile technology for launches and conducting nuclear tests, along with other provocative acts; immediately cease ballistic missile and nuclear activities; and abandon all nuclear weapons, nuclear weapon programs, and other weapons of mass destruction, in a verifiable and irreversible manner.
Breach of the Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration
North Korea’s repeated missile launches and nuclear developments not only violated United Nations Security Council resolutions; they also breached the 2002 Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration.The declaration was the result of a landmark meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. The meeting aimed to expand diplomacy and address unresolved issues such as the abduction of Japanese nationals.
Under the Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration, the two countries agreed to reopen negotiations for normalizing diplomatic relations. Japan committed to providing grant aid, while both nations pledged to respect international law, refrain from threatening each other’s security, and work towards peace and stability in Northeast Asia. The declaration emphasized a comprehensive approach to the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula, adhering to all international agreements, and promoting dialogue on various security issues, including nuclear weapons and missiles.
In the spirit of this declaration, North Korea extended its missile launch moratorium. The moratorium had been self-imposed in 1999 after talks with the United States led to a lifting of economic sanctions against North Korea.
UN Security Council Remains Divided
In contrast to the unified response from Japan’s political and civilian sectors, the United Nations Security Council met on Monday but remained divided over whether to condemn the launch.“(North Korea) is unabashedly trying to advance its nuclear weapons delivery systems,” Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told the Security Council.
The U.S. envoy called out “two permanent members that have been unwilling to condemn this dangerous, escalatory launch,” apparently referring to Russia and China.
Kimihiro Ishikane, Japan’s top envoy to the United Nations, said, “We should not be deceived by any attempt to justify North Korea’s ambition to pursue unlawful (weapons of mass destruction) programs.”
“The international community must express grave concern over such an irresponsible act by North Korea and take decisive action to address it,” Ambassador Ishikane said.
