LOC11:54
08:54 GMT
TOKYO, Nov 7 (KUNA) -- Japan decided to expand its unilateral sanctions on North Korea to intensify pressure on Pyongyang in response to Pyongyang's recent test firing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the government announced on Tuesday.
Under the new measures, approved by the Cabinet, Japan will freeze the assets of an additional nine organizations and 26 individuals based in North Korea, China, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Libya.
All the additional targets of the sanctions are included in the sanctions list which the US announced in September.
The approval comes one day after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe revealed the plan at a joint press conference in Tokyo with US President Donald Trump.
On Monday, the two leaders agreed to maximize pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear and missile programs. According to the Foreign Ministry, with the additional plan, Japan now designates a total of 84 entities and 108 individuals in its North Korea-linked sanction list.
"North Korea has repeated provocative speech and behavior, which are totally unacceptable. We decided to expand sanctions from the standpoint of further increasing pressure on the North in unity with the US," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference.
"It is essential that the entire international community will step up pressure on North Korea to make change policies," the top government spokesman said.
"We strongly urge North Korea to take concrete action to resolve issues such as missile and nuclear development as well as abductions of Japanese nationals (in the 70s and 80s)," Suga added.
Pyongyang conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test in September, which it said was an H-bomb that can be mounted on a long-range missile.
North Korea also fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile over Japan in the mid-September. (end)
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