The Japanese government, led by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, on Tuesday, April 6, approved a two-year extension of unilateral sanctions against North Korea. The corresponding decision was made at a regular meeting of the Japanese Cabinet of Ministers, Kyodo News reports.
The reason for the extension of the restrictive measures was the lack of progress on a number of issues related to Pyongyang’s nuclear missile program, as well as the kidnapped Japanese citizens.
According to the Secretary General of the Japanese Cabinet of Ministers Katsunobu Kato, the decision to extend the sanctions until 2023 was made on the basis of the need for full and full compliance with the UN Security Council resolutions regarding Pyongyang.
Japan first imposed sanctions against the DPRK in 2006 after Pyongyang conducted a nuclear test. They mainly relate to restrictions on the import and export of goods and a ban on the entry of North Korean ships into Japanese ports. Since the first entry into force, the sanctions have been repeatedly extended, and the list of companies, ships and individuals that fall under them has been constantly expanding.
Tokyo continues to demand from the DPRK to resolve the issue with the Japanese citizens abducted by the North Korean special services. In 2002, Pyongyang admitted for the first time that only 13 Japanese citizens had been kidnapped and allowed five of them to return to their homeland. The rest were declared dead, and the remains were sent to their relatives, the authenticity of which could not be confirmed.
On March 25, the Japanese Defense Ministry announced the launch of a ballistic missile by Pyongyang. It was noted that the rocket was launched on Thursday at 07:06 local time (01:06 Moscow time).
Pyongyang later said that the launch of missiles towards the Sea of ​​Japan was self-defense against the backdrop of joint military exercises by the United States and South Korea.