North Korea’s state-run medium Rodong Shinmun threatened that if Japan inspects cargo on North Korean ships on high seas that the People's Army will retaliate. Japan has implemented as of July fourth its special law on cargo inspections of ships with suspected illicit ties to North Korea.

The North Korean newspaper’s commentary mentioned a ruling by a Japanese court that buildings owned by a pro-Pyongyang association of ethnic Koreans in Japan may be seized in addition to the implementation of the special law. It said the two were violations of North Korea’s sovereignty and were blatant political and military provocations.

Japan’s special law passed the Japanese parliament in May 2010 after the North’s sinking of the South Korean “Cheonan” warship. It was first proposed at the Japanese parliament after sanctions were adopted by the United Nations Security Council in response to North Korea’s nuclear tests in June 2009.