Statements

Today, North Korea (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea) announced that it had conducted a successful nuclear test.

The Japan P.E.N. Club has long opposed nuclear testing as well as the development and possession of nuclear weapons by any and all countries. Here again we are registering a strong protest against this North Korean nuclear test, which is a reckless act threatening Northeast Asia and the world as a whole.

The world today is confronted with many challenging problems: economic depression and poverty, terror and war, disaster and disease, religious and ethnic disputes, etc. This difficult reality tramples the hopes and dreams of the many people in the world who are longing for peace.

In a troubled world like ours, countries should be dedicating themselves to solving each of these existing problems. For North Korea to instead attempt to establish its international presence through nuclear weapons development can only be labeled folly.

The Japan P.E.N. Club urges North Korea to immediately halt its nuclear weapons development and to utilize peaceful means as one member of the international community working to solve the many difficult problems that we all face.

May 25, 2009