LOC11:24
08:24 GMT
TOKYO, May 24 (KUNA) -- Japan will impose fresh sanctions against 11 entities and one individual over their involvement in the transfer of weapons from North Korea for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the government announced on Friday.
The new measures, approved at a Cabinet meeting earlier in the day, added the freezing of assets of nine Russian entities and one individual, including Russian military facilities, as well as two shipping firms in Cyprus, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release.
"Japan has strongly condemned Russia's procurement of arms from North Korea, as it constitutes a violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions prohibiting the transfer and procurement of all arms and related materiel to and from North Korea, and may lead to further deterioration of the situation in Ukraine," the ministry said.
In a joint statement issued in February, the leaders of the Group of Seven (G-7) strongly condemned arms transactions between North Korea and Russia, saying they are in breach of UN Security Council resolutions. The G-7 countries are Japan, the US, Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Canada. (end)
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