Tuesday, January 27, 2004
JAPAN PUTS PRESSURE ON THE DPRK
Associated Press (Audrey Mcavoy, "JAPAN LAWMAKERS AGREE ON NORTH KOREA BILL," Tokyo, 01/26/04) reported that Japan's ruling coalition and top opposition party agreed Monday on legislation that allows Japan to unilaterally impose economic sanctions. The measure is aimed at pressuring the DPRK into resolving a diplomatic standoff over its past abductions of Japanese citizens. The legislation authorizes the government to independently halt remittances, stop trade, and impose other restrictions on the flow of money and goods to and from another country. Japanese law currently only allows such steps if they are made in response to a U.N. resolution or another multinational agreement. The bill - which amends the foreign exchange law - doesn't specifically target the DPRK, but was drawn up with the DPRK in mind.Wonder what P'yongyang will have to say about this. So far, the on-line KCNA is silent on the matter.
