Japan to Extend Sanctions against N. Korea

Tokyo, March 30 (Jiji Press)--Japan will extend its sanctions
against North Korea by one year from the expiration set for April 13,
government officials said Tuesday.
The government concluded that North Korea has not responded
sincerely to calls for ending its nuclear programs and resolving a dispute
over Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korean spies, the officials said.
The sanctions, including a ban on entries into Japan by North
Korean ships, will be extended for the sixth time. The extension will be the
first since Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama took office in September last
year.
At a news conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano said
the situation does not warrant an end or an easing of the sanctions.
Tokyo cannot decide on such a step unless any move forward is
achieved toward ending the deadlock in North Korea's nuclear disarmament
process, Hirano said.
Separately, Minister for Abduction Issue Hiroshi Nakai said the
measures against North Korea should be extended without any changes.
Nakai said how long the sanctions should be extended depends on the
course of events related to six-party North Korean nuclear disarmament
talks. He said he does not mind if Tokyo extends its sanctions by six months
or 12 months.
Under the sanctions, Japan bans all North Korean ships from
entering Japan, including the Mangyongbong-92 passenger-cargo ferry, and
halts all trades with North Korea.
Tokyo first took the steps in response to North Korea's ballistic
missile launches in July 2006 and its first nuclear test in October in the
same year.
Initially, the sanctions were renewed every six months. Tokyo
carried out a one-year extension in April last year after Pyongyang has
refused to open a fresh probe into abduction victims though it promised such
action.