Most immediately, Japan is the prime sponsor of tough sanctions against North Korea at the UN. As rotating chairman of the 15-member Security Council, Japan is drafting a resolution calling for tougher sanctions under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, authorizing the use of military force in the event of the North failing to comply. It is the kind of resolution that was imposed on Sadam Hussein’s Iraq before the US invasion of that country. It is thus much tougher, with far more implications than the resolution 1695 adopted on 15 July that called on member countries to ban transfer of money or other resources that could be used for development of the North’s nuclear weapons.
The key question is whether China and Russia—Pyongyang’s former backers—will find it comfortable to reject the second resolution in view of international condemnation the North has provoked. China opposed inserting the Chapter 7 clause in the first resolution, arguing that the US could use it to seek an Iraq-like military strike on the North.
Immediately after the nuclear test, Beijing issued a toughly worded statement criticizing it as "brazen." That was the strongest expression China has used against Pyongyang so far. Shortly thereafter, however, it reverted to calling for "calm" and "dialogue" in resolving the crisis, in an indication that Beijing may not join in the Chapter 7 draft.
Kim conducted the test against the background of China and Japan holding their first summit meeting in years to mend relations soured by previous Prime Minister Koizumi’s visits to the Yasukuni Shrine honoring Japan’s war dead, including those convicted of war crimes. In the same vein, Abe was visiting Seoul for similar fence-mending talks with President Roh when the news hit him.
At Abe’s talks with Hu Jintao and Roh Moo Hyun, China and South Korea closed ranks with Japan announcing they will cooperate in responding firmly to the North’s provocation.