"Our special solidarity is with Japan, which has been affected by a test for the second time in a very short space of time," said the deputy government spokesperson Georg Streiter in Berlin.

In view of the renewed provocation on the part of North Korea, it is now important that the sanctions, which had just been tightened, be swiftly and rigorously implemented. "The neighbouring states, China and Russia, have a special responsibility in this context," said Georg Streiter.

North Korea has launched another missile over Japan, it was announced by South Korean and Japanese government representatives. The missile landed in the Pacific Ocean some 2,000 kilometres east of the Japanese island of Hokkaido.

UN Security Council condemns "outrageous actions"

Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Sigmar Gabriel condemned the latest firing of a missile over Japanese territory. "The regime in Pyongyang is once again showing us that it is a serious threat to world peace, " he announced. He added that the international community must stand up resolutely and unambiguously to this threat and increase the pressure on the regime in North Korea. "The German Government thus urges the rapid implementation of the most recent UN Security Council resolution and welcomes the convening of an emergency session of the Security Council this afternoon." The meeting was called in response to a request lodged by Japan and the United States of America.

In an emergency meeting in New York on Friday the United Nations Security Council condemned North Korea’s latest missile test, which it deemed "highly provocative". In a statement adopted unanimously following the meeting, the Security Council called on North Korea to immediately end its "outrageous actions". The statement continues, "The Security Council stressed that these actions are not just a threat to the region, but to all United Nations Member States."

Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Sigmar Gabriel had already urged North Korea in the strongest possible terms to respect all existing UN Security Council resolutions and to end all unlawful activities relating to its missile and nuclear programme immediately.

Denuclearising the Korean peninsula

During the visit of the Federal Foreign Minister to China, North Korea also figured prominently on the agenda. As well as ensuring that sanctions are rigorously implemented in full, what is needed is the "start of a political process with North Korea in order to make progress on denuclearising the Korean peninsula," said Sigmar Gabriel on Sunday following a meeting with the Chinese State Councillor for Foreign Policy Matters, Yang Jiechi, in Beijing.

Further increasing pressure on North Korea

As a result of the numerous diplomatic efforts, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution on Monday night (11 September), tightening the sanctions already in place on North Korea. Textile exports, hitherto the country’s main source of foreign exchange, have been banned, and oil imports capped at two million barrels a year.