Japan reports suspected N Korea sanctions violation to U.N. Security Council

Good on Japan for picking this violation up, NK has to be punished for this. The next step is to seize these illegal ships.

Foreign Minister Taro Kono warned against countries being "blinded" by North Korea's diplomatic charm offensive at the Winter Olympics

Only SK was blinded by NK's charm offensive, as well as a huge number of unwitting useful idiots around the world praising the North's cheerleaders and KJU's sister like swooning schoolgirls. Thankfully none of them occupy positions of influence, so the real work of countering NK can be done by the clear-sighted and those unfooled by this desperate death rattle from NK

Yup, there goes good old "peace-loving" Japan, looking to stir the pot because it has gone off the boil and they are terrified peace might actually break out.

The DPRK is like many countries, in the sense that there are many departments, maverick ideas and people not sticking to the script.

Not to condone the behaviour, of course but with sanctions biting, some are going to cut corners.

Hopefully these idiots will not derail the progress currently being made in bringing the country in from the cold.

Abiding by UN sanctions is just that. South Korea has done the same. It's not "stirring he pot". Only North Korea's refusal to abide by multiple UN sanctions over decades that's "stirring the pot."

Nobody likes a tell tail.

Pretty sure that any country that has sanctions against them will find ways to skirt around them. Doesn't make it right...but understandable.

this has nothing to do with my personal opinion about NK... but the country is supposed to abide by sanctions against it? in other words NK should support the anti-NK decisions of the UN et al? I can see why they wouldn't want to comply... and others getting cross about their not wanting to comply seems pretty silly....

Agree with other North Korea supporters here. Japan should just butt out of North Korea's affairs. It is entirely up to North Korea whether to skirt these illegal UN sanctions. The UN has no authority anyway so these sanctions are invalid

Submarines...think about it.

It really does mean the sanctions are biting if NK has to resort to such methods just to get fuel. They've tested the patience of the world for decades so this squeeze has to continue. They will be forced to make tough decisions about their very existence soon.

jiji Xx

but the country is supposed to abide by sanctions against it?

Of course not.

NK has the right to pursue oil supply by all means.

Tom

Submarines...think about it.

Imperial Japan tried it against the US blockade.

It didn't work.

Look what happened when the U.S. cut off oil supplies to Japan. That didn't end well for anyone.

The south Korean government is willing to pay a sum of money or better known as the donations to North Korea. Is Japan going to complain the SK in UN security council?

Good for Japan to speak up. Let's countries know they are being watched if doing business with NK.

I'm not sure I understand some of the anti-Japan posts here.

Yes, North Korea is going to try to break the sanctions, but that doesn't make it ok. Japan is being a responsible member of the UN by pointing out what is happening in the open. It's not like Tokyo faked the evidence or set up the oil transfer in a sting operation.

And before anyone else says "what is NK supposed to do?", the answer is to abide by UN resolutions and halt its WMD programs.

When Japan has a little whine at the U.N, I hope they respond by asking them about the coal they were buying from N.K.

The North is only doing this because there are sanctions in the first place so these moves are in self defense like other North Korea supporters here agree. If these silly sanctions were removed, the North could complete their nuclear defense program in peace and without alleged violations.

You can be sure that once the North has its defensive nuclear program completed, there won't be sanctions imposed on them ever again

In my hood, if you rat on somebody, you ain’t gonna have a nice week.

Japan’s acting like a little brat.

This is a no brainer.

Who is going to stop them from doing this process.

If no one, then it will continue to be done until final action is actually conducted.

Did anyone stop China from building islands out of rock into an island?

Answer: NO so who can blame NK.

@Shumatsu_Samurai

Yes, North Korea is going to try to break the sanctions, but that doesn't make it ok.

North Korean state needs oil to survive.

I will give you an example. There is an international whaling ban but Japan continues to ignore it. That makes Japan look terrible in the eyes of the world for the whaling ban breach, but Japanese rightwing government thinks there is nothing wrong with whaling.

the answer is to abide by UN resolutions and halt its WMD programs.

And who's going to guarantee the Kim regime's survival when the going gets tough, say an unexpected popular revolt, the violent regime crackdown, and foreign powers decided to intervene the Syria style?

As far as the Kim regime is concerned, the nukes are his only guarantee, because the ROK military, the largest ground force of the free world, can sack Pyongyang in a week if they decided to have the unification by military means.

Come on. Of course NK is going to try to get around the sanctions, but to actually try to make Japan into the bad guy for reporting it? Those NK Olympic cheerleaders must have really got to some of you.

And who's going to guarantee the Kim regime's survival when the going gets tough, say an unexpected popular revolt, the violent regime crackdown, and foreign powers decided to intervene the Syria style?

No one, and why should they? His regime doesn't deserve to survive and really, neither does he.

There is an international whaling ban but Japan continues to ignore it. 

No, there is not a ban. I’m not a fan of the whaling myself, but what you have said about is factually incorrect. There is a voluntary moratorium by a numbet of nations, and Japan is one of those nations. But the moratorium has rules set in place that allow for the taking of some whales, and these are the rules under which Japan does the whaling. They are not in contravention of the moratorium, and they are not only not ignoring it, they are following it.

@extanker

 to actually try to make Japan into the bad guy for reporting it?

When did I say that?

No one, and why should they?

This is why Kim Jong Un must secure such guarantee himself.

His regime doesn't deserve to survive and really, neither does he.

Every nation has some other nation that consider it unworthy of exurvival, even the US(Iran, North Korea, China, etc).

That doesn't take away that country's right to exist.

"Agree with other North Korea supporters here. Japan should just butt out of North Korea's affairs"

When NK is threatening to nuke Japan out of existence...........I think not!

elephant200Feb. 15 03:24 pm JST

The south Korean government is willing to pay a sum of money or better known as the donations to North Korea. Is Japan going to complain the SK in UN security council?

Why should they? Are there any UN resolutions in place prohibiting it? If not, dumb question.

@extanker

 to actually try to make Japan into the bad guy for reporting it?

When did I say that?

I never said you did. Only the second part of my comment was directed at you, but you are making excuses for the Kim regimes behavior.

extanker

you are making excuses for the Kim regimes behavior.

The Kim regime must do what it has to do to survive, meaning smuggling if it must.

Likewise Japan does what it feels it must do, namely sending out patrol planes to spot oil smuggling operation.

It's a cat and mouse scenario and there is no right and no wrong.