Tokyo: Japan extended portions of sanctions on North Korea for another six months beyond Sunday, citing the lack of a breakthrough on North Korea's nuclear programmes and its abductions of Japanese citizens.
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's Cabinet on Friday endorsed the extension of the sanctions, which Japan unilaterally imposed October 14,2006, for six months following North Korea's nuclear test and test-launch of ballistic missiles over the Sea of Japan the same year.
The extended sanctions include a ban on port calls by all North Korean-registered ships and all imports from North Korea.
Japan has also barred entry in principle to North Korean nationals except for pro-Pyongyang Korean residents of Japan.
Fukuda said whether Japan will consider lifting the sanctions in the future would depend entirely on what actions North Korea will take from now. "I believe we must watch closely how (North Korea) would advance problems such as the nuclear, abduction and missile issues toward resolution," Fukuda told reporters.
"I think the North Korean people are hoping the sanctions will be lifted, and I suppose that would mean that they are effective," the Japanese leader said when asked about the effects the extensions of the sanctions may have.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura separately urged Pyongyang to engage in "serious dialogue" with Japan.
"The measures our country is taking toward North Korea, including the ones that are extended this time, may be ended partially or fully at any time if the North Korean side takes specific action toward resolving the abduction, nuclear and missile issues," Machimura said at a press conference.
The Japanese government previously extended the half-year measures in April last year and again last October.
