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UNITED NATIONS: Japan has proposed a total ban on North Korean products and a prohibition against North Korean planes and ships landing in foreign countries, according to a document circulated on Tuesday.
The Japanese trade and transport embargoes are amendments to a U.S.-drafted U.N. Security Council resolution that would impose a series of sanctions on North Korea to punish it for claims that it tested an underground nuclear weapon device on Monday.
Tokyo's proposals would tell nations to “prohibit the permission” of any North Korean ship in their ports and deny any North Korean aircraft to “take off or land in their territories.”
Japan also wants a travel ban on high-ranking North Korea officials and “to reinforce examination for immigration” from the reclusive communist state.
Several diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the proposals were too radical and would not become part of the resolution. However, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton told reporters some “have attracted support like the idea of banning travel by top North Korean officials.”
Japan would not comment directly on its recommendations.
Asked if they constituted a blanket trade embargo, Japan's U.N. Ambassador Kenzo Oshima said, “No, no that's one of the issues that needs to be looked at, how far we can go.”
France's U.N. Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere said what was most important was that the resolution focus on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs “and everything that finances it.”
The U.S. array of sanctions, Bolton said were aimed at Pyongyang's “nuclear, chemical, biological weapons and ballistic missile programs as well as their illicit activities such as counterfeiting and drug running and other kinds of activities like that.
