Tokyo, May 30 (Jiji Press)--A total of 10 countries, including Japan, the United States, South Korea and Britain, have issued a joint statement demanding the implementation of sanctions against North Korea, Japan's Foreign Ministry said Saturday. The statement called on a committee under the U.N. Security Council to examine related information and take appropriate action over 12 vessels, including five that were found to have been involved in coal and iron ore exports to North Korea in clear violations of relevant Security Council sanctions resolutions. The other six countries that sponsored the joint statement released Friday were Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and New Zealand. The Japanese government said that it will "continue to work closely with the international community to promote the full implementation" of relevant Security Council resolutions and to "call for the complete dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs." END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]