The UN Assembly: Speak Like the Major Power You Are

It’s difficult to imagine that it would be appropriate for the “leader” of a great country to stir up ridicule and confrontation in such a critical situation.

President Trump gave his first speech at the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Trump ridiculed Kim Jong Un, the chairman of North Korea’s Workers’ Party of Korea, by calling him “Rocket Man,” and warned that “if [the United Nations] is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.” He also touched upon North Korea’s abduction of Japanese citizens, even criticizing it as a “depraved regime.”

Throughout the assembly, representatives of each country severely criticized North Korea, one after another.

Trump also urged each country to support a United Nations decision to work toward stronger sanctions. This sends the message that the United States itself will continue to apply the maximum amount of pressure.

Each and every member of the United Nations has demanded that North Korea cease its reckless development of nuclear missiles. Despite that, calling for “total destruction” is not right. Isn’t “Rocket Man” a phrase more suitable for Twitter instead of a United Nations assembly?

North Korea and its state media continue to provoke the international community. However, the leader of the strongest country in the world does not need to sink to its level.

Crude language can affect the mentality of the citizens in the countries involved. Isn’t it possible that communicating like this might lead to a military conflict? Like German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said that she is “against threats of this kind,” each country is raising concern.

Trump has also criticized Iran as a “murderous regime.” On top of that, he also called the Iran nuclear deal, which the United States, the European Union and Russia, among other participants, entered into 2015, “one of the worst and most one-sided transactions,” implying that he would decertify it.

Iran also made compromises in response to the incredible pressure of a crude oil embargo and economic sanctions. The United States was also a central figure in this deal.

If we want North Korea to obey the demands of the international community, then shouldn’t we pay attention to the Iran deal, too?

The White House is acting in line with Trump’s speech, employing diplomacy that puts the United States first. No matter how strong one’s words are, it’s difficult to gain sympathy when they’re grounded in a doctrine that puts one’s own country first.

At the United Nations, signing has begun on an existing nuclear weapons ban, which is the result of hard work conducted at numerous multinational conferences. The treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons is expected to take effect as early as next year.

I want Japan to participate in this treaty because it is the one country that has been the victim of a nuclear bomb.

I want to make sure that the world does not only change as a result of scorn and abuse.