Lower House Passes Bill to Pressure Pyongyang
Japan’s lower house passed a bill to make it easier to impose economic sanctions on North Korea, a step aimed at pressuring Pyongyang to hand over relatives of Japanese abducted decades ago and account for the fate of others. The bill does not name North Korea, but lawmakers say it is aimed at the reclusive state.
Officials in Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s government also have said they don’t have any plans to impose sanctions but want North Korea to agree to talks on the abductions. The bill will go to the upper house next week.
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