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| Image: Wiki Commons |
By Mina Pollmann
Japan is sending a signal, even though its sanctions are likely to have a limited effect at best.
On Wednesday, Japan imposed unilateral sanctions on North Korea following its satellite launch – a launch which international observers believe is a covert attempt to test long-range missile technology.
Japan had partially lifted some sanctions in 2014 when North Korea promised to look into the fate of Japanese abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s, but most of these were re-imposed in reaction to the Kim regime’s nuclear test on January 6 and missile test on February 7.
The new sanctions ban North Korean nationals from entering Japan. They also ban remittances, except for those less than 100,000 yen ($890) and for humanitarian purposes only. Furthermore, North Korean ships and any ship that has stopped in North Korea will no longer be allowed to call in Japan.
Additional measures that go beyond sanctions that existed prior to 2014 include a freeze on assets held by suspect individuals and organizations in Japan, and a ban on nuclear and missile-related foreign technicians who have been to North Korea from reentering Japan.
Read the full story at The Diplomat