Friday, April 6, 2012

Japan is hoping the U.N. Security Council will take action against North Korea if it goes ahead with its rocket launch, Foreign Minister Koichiro Genba said.

"I am certain that the launch would be a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions," Genba said Wednesday, adding he believes "some response will be needed" by the world body.

"We are, of course, considering many things, including how it should be handled by the Security Council in the event of a launch," he told reporters when asked about the chance of Japan calling for a fresh resolution against Pyongyang.

However, Genba said the most important thing is to persuade North Korea not to launch the rocket at all.

Japan is not a member of the Security Council.

Other countries believe the launch is really a test of the North's ballistic missile technology, but Pyongyang says the rocket will be carrying a satellite into orbit to mark the centennial of the April 15 birth of late founder Kim Il Sung.

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