Japan decided on Tuesday to extend the economic sanctions it
imposed on North Korea for another six months, Chief Cabinet
secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki said.
The decision, made at a Cabinet meeting, will continue barring
North Korean ships from entering Japanese ports, imports from North
Korea and blocking North Korean people from entering Japan.
Shiozaki told a press conference that Japan made the decision
after "judging in a comprehensive manner" various circumstances
surrounding North Korea, including the nuclear issue.
Japan started imposing a number of sanction measures on North
Korea in October 2006, after Pyongyang announced that it had
carried out its first nuclear test.
Since July 2006, Japan has also banned the cargo-passenger ferry
Mangyongbong-92, the only direct passenger link between the two
countries, from making port calls to Japan following a series of
missile launches by the North Korea.
(Xinhua News Agency April 10, 2007)
