Kishida Urges Other Leaders To Denounce N.korea In Strongest Possible Terms
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has urged the leaders of other Asia-Pacific nations to denounce North Korea in the strongest possible terms for its repeated ballistic missile launches.
Kishida and leaders from the United States, South Korea, Canada, Australia and New Zealand held an emergency meeting on Friday after North Korea fired a ballistic missile earlier in the day. The leaders are in Thailand to attend the APEC summit.
Kishida said the missile is believed to have fallen into the waters off Hokkaido, inside Japan's exclusive economic zone. He also said North Korea has fired more than 50 ballistic missiles this year alone. He noted Pyongyang has been launching missiles at a pace that has never been seen before.
Pointing out the possibility of more missile launches or a nuclear test, Kishida called for international unity, so that North Korea's complete denuclearization can be brought about, in line with UN Security Council resolutions.
US Vice President Kamala Harris condemned North Korea's actions and urged the country to refrain from engaging in further unlawful, destabilizing acts.
Harris said, "On behalf of the United States, I reaffirm our ironclad commitment to our Indo-Pacific alliances."
She also said, "Together the countries represented here will continue to urge North Korea to commit to serious and sustained diplomacy."