TOKYO (Sputnik) — A senior Japanese official has said that new sanctions were connected with the necessity to increase pressure on North Korea in order to "strengthen the unity" of Japan and the United States amid US President Donald Trump's visit to Japan.
"Today at the government meeting, nine organizations and 26 people from North Korea were included in the list of persons and entities whose assets should be frozen. The nuclear and missile issue of the DPRK has become unprecedented … approaching a threat. It is unacceptable that North Korea ignores warnings by the world community and continues provocative actions," Suga told reporters after the government’s meeting
The expanded sanctions list adopted by the Japanese government on Tuesday includes North Korean organizations based in China and Russia, Yoshihide Suga added.
"This time, the list of organizations and individuals includes North Korean organizations and individuals based in China, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and Libya," Suga said.
The North Korean state media outlet slammed Shinzo Abe's speech, saying that "such racket" would do nothing except incite tensions and, ultimately, prove a "suicidal deed that will bring nuclear clouds to the Japanese archipelago."
The Trump Administration earlier imposed a new wider set of sanctions against Pyongyang, targeting the country's information technology sector, manufacturing industries, as well as fishing and textiles. Moreover, the new US punitive measures provide the discretion to impose restrictions against any foreign bank that knowingly conducts transactions with North Korea.
The situation on the Korean peninsula has escalated over the past few months. In early September Pyongyang tested a hydrogen bomb that could be loaded into an intercontinental ballistic missile which was Pyongyang's sixth nuclear test, violating the UN Security Council resolutions.
