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Japan to extend N Korea sanctions Japan renews sanctions on N Korea
(20 minutes later)
Japan's government has decided to extend economic sanctions against North Korea for another year over its recent rocket launch. Japan has decided to extend its unilateral economic sanctions against North Korea for another year over its recent rocket launch.
The move was decided at a cabinet meeting early on Friday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said. Tokyo will also tighten money flows, lowering the cap on remittances to the impoverished country.
Tokyo will also impose new measures, including banning exports and lowering the cap on remittances to North Korea.
North Korea says Sunday's launch put a satellite in orbit but Japan and others say it was a cover for a missile test.North Korea says Sunday's launch put a satellite in orbit but Japan and others say it was a cover for a missile test.
Japan and the US are pushing for a UN Security Council resolution which would reinforce and possibly extend existing sanctions against North Korea, applied in the wake of the country's nuclear test in 2006. Reports from New York suggest that the Security Council is deadlocked over how to respond to the launch.
Japan and the US are pushing for a resolution which would reinforce and possibly extend existing sanctions against North Korea, applied in the wake of the country's nuclear test in 2006.
But China and Russia have been more cautious, saying they are yet to be convinced Pyongyang broke any rules.But China and Russia have been more cautious, saying they are yet to be convinced Pyongyang broke any rules.
Fund flow controls
Japan's own sanctions against North Korea, in place since 2006, had been due to expire on Monday.Japan's own sanctions against North Korea, in place since 2006, had been due to expire on Monday.
They will now be extended for another year and oversight of the transfer of funds from Japan to North Korea will be strengthened, government officials said. A cabinet meeting early on Friday decided to extend them for another year, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said.
There were conflicting reports about the cabinet's stance on banning exports to the North, a measure advocated before the meeting.
Mr Kawamura said that Japan wanted to get a "clearer grasp of fund flows to North Korea".
Smaller money transfers to the communist state would in future have to be reported to the Japanese government, he added.
The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il, on Thursday made his first major state appearance since he had a suspected stroke last year.
TV pictures showed him attending a parliamentary session where he was re-elected as North Korean leader.
The session coincided with a separate announcement that North Korea was to revise its constitution.
No details have yet been given but there is speculation that the changes may be linked to who succeeds Mr Kim.