Japan to widen sanctions against North Korea

By Azernews

By Ali Mustafayev

Japan has announced the widening of sanctions against North Korea, which faced the UN sanctions earlier this month due to its missile tests.

The country will impose unilateral sanctions on eight foreign firms and individuals as punishment for their alleged dealings with North Korea.

The companies sanctioned by the Japanese government are suspected in cooperation with the North Korean companies and involvement in funding of the latter’s missile program.

Japan’s sanctions target six companies, including four from China and two from Namibia, and one Chinese individual and another of an unknown nationality had their Japanese assets frozen.

Tokyo has now sanctioned 72 organizations and 81 individuals for their dealings with North Korea.

Relations between Japan and the North Korea remain deteriorated for decades.

In April 2017, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced about a possibility North Korea could launch deadly chemical weapon missiles into Japan.

Ever since U.S. President Donald Trump warned Pyongyang not to carry out nuclear tests, tension has been escalating in the region. Washington urges North Korea to abandon its nuclear missile programme and refrain from provocative actions.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula further soared higher after North Korea threatened to fire four ballistic missiles into waters just 30-40 kilometers off the U.S.-controlled Pacific island of Guam.

In response, Donald Trump warned Pyongyang saying that “North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States,” or “they will be met with fire and the fury like the world has never seen.”

Pyongyang later said it was holding off while it waited to see what Washington would do next.