Japanese PM Calls on UN to Adopt New Sanctions Against N Korea

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and called on the United Nations to impose new sanctions on North Korea over its recent nuclear tests, local media reported.

TOKYO (Sputnik) – Abe called the North Korean nuclear test a challenge to the existence of the United Nations, the Kyodo News agency reported.

The parties also discussed the Paris Agreement on climate change with Abe vowing to do his utmost to ensure that Japan joins the treaty.

Ban highly appreciated Japan's participation in the UN peacekeeping missions.

The meeting was carried out on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The North Korean issue was high on the agenda of the meetings with Japanese officials participation on Tuesday.

Abe met with UK Prime Minister Theresa May, who said that the United Kingdom would never tolerate North Korean nuclear tests and that the international community should respond to them. The prime ministers agreed to cooperate toward adoption of new sanctions against North Korea by the UN Security Council.

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida took part in the meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) top diplomats, who stressed their determination to take further measures in response to the North Korean “provocations.”

On September 9, Pyongyang carried out a nuclear test at its northeastern nuclear test site. The nuclear experiment is believed to be the fifth and the largest since North Korea started pursuing nuclear and ballistic missile programs, drawing condemnation from the international community.