Japan to consider further sanctions against N Korea

TOKYO – Japan is considering further economic sanctions against North Korea following Pyongyang’s rejection of a UN Security Council resolution demanding the suspension of its ballistic missile programme, reports said yesterday.

The Security Council unanimously adopted Saturday the resolution condemning Pyongyang’s missile launches and demanding the suspension of its ballistic missile programme, but the isolated communist state rejected the “brigandish” resolution and vowed to bolster its defences. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe ordered officials Sunday to examine further sanctions following Pyongyang’s rejection of the UN resolution, Jiji Press and the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported.Further sanctions could include suspension of cash remittances to impoverished North Korea, which depends on financial help from ethnic Koreans in Japan, a ban on bilateral trade and freezes on North Korean assets in Japan, reports said.The UN Security Council resolution requires all member states to prevent the procurement of missiles or missile related items, materials, goods and technology from North Korea and the transfer of any financial resources in relation to North Korea’s missile or weapons of mass destruction programmes.Based on the resolution, Japan may call for other countries to join hands in implementing effective financial sanctions to deter remittances through a third country, Jiji Press said.- Nampa-AFPJapanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe ordered officials Sunday to examine further sanctions following Pyongyang’s rejection of the UN resolution, Jiji Press and the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported.Further sanctions could include suspension of cash remittances to impoverished North Korea, which depends on financial help from ethnic Koreans in Japan, a ban on bilateral trade and freezes on North Korean assets in Japan, reports said.The UN Security Council resolution requires all member states to prevent the procurement of missiles or missile related items, materials, goods and technology from North Korea and the transfer of any financial resources in relation to North Korea’s missile or weapons of mass destruction programmes.Based on the resolution, Japan may call for other countries to join hands in implementing effective financial sanctions to deter remittances through a third country, Jiji Press said.- Nampa-AFP