Japan to impose additional sanctions on North Korea

Japan will impose additional sanctions on North Korea following the country's fifth nuclear test in September and consider further measures depending on Pyongyang's moves, chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Friday.

Japan will expand a list of people prohibited from re-entering Japan after visiting North Korea, while also banning all ships that have called at ports in North Korea, Suga told a news conference.

Tokyo will also freeze the assets of more groups and individuals connected to North Korea's nuclear and missiles development, he said.

Japan's decision came after the UN Security Council imposed new sanctions on North Korea this week aimed at cutting its annual export revenue by a quarter.

South Korea also imposed fresh unilateral sanctions over Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile tests on Friday.

The South Korean government said in a statement it would ban entry by foreign missile and nuclear experts if their visits to North Korea were deemed to be a threat to the South's national interests.

(Reuters)