The Japanese investigation authorities alleged "Chongryon was likely to have violated the foreign exchange law" when conducted the forcible search only to end up with no positive material evidence.

The DPRK-Japan Friendship Association Saturday in a statement denounced the search as illegal investigation in breach of international law, to say nothing of Japan Constitution and criminal procedure law. The statement said:

So far, the Japanese reactionaries have committed unwarranted crackdown upon Chongryon and Koreans in Japan against law. But it is the first time that they targeted the chairman and vice-chairman of the Central Standing Committee of Chongryon, who are deputies to the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK.

The recent serious case in Japan, which styles itself a "law-governed state" and "democratic state", is an unpardonable provocation and serious infringement on sovereignty of the DPRK.

It was carried out by the order of Japan Police Agency and with a search-warrant issued by the judicial authorities. These facts prove that the Japanese government authorities are entirely responsible for the unreasonable search.

The Japanese reactionaries are now making desperate efforts to create a springboard for accelerating their moves to make Japan lurch to the right and fascist and realizing their ambition for emerging a military giant while taking the advantage of the U.S. frantic anti-DPRK moves.

The Korean nation will never pardon the Japanese reactionary forces' desperate suppression of Chongryon aimed at pushing the DPRK-Japan relations to a catastrophe once again.

If the Japanese authorities sincerely want the improved DPRK-Japan relations, they should stop at once the crackdown upon Chongryon and Koreans in Japan.