Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

The Japanese government has decided to extend sanctions against North Korea (DPRK) for another two years, which include, among other measures, a complete ban on bilateral trade, Azernews reports.

This was announced at a press conference in Tokyo by Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Secretary General of the Cabinet.

"We made this decision based on our intention to make every effort to comprehensively resolve unresolved issues, such as the abductions of Japanese citizens and North Korea's nuclear and missile program," he said.

Tokyo's restrictive measures also include a ban on North Korean ships entering Japanese ports, as well as ships that have previously docked in North Korean ports.

Japanese sanctions against the DPRK were first introduced in 2006, and with this extension, they will remain in place until April 2027. Pyongyang and Tokyo have no diplomatic relations, and there are no direct transport links between the two countries due to Japan's stance.

Japan's sanctions against North Korea are part of a broader international effort to press the DPRK to abandon its nuclear weapons program. Despite these sanctions, North Korea continues to engage in provocative actions, including missile tests, which have led to continued tensions in the region.