Japan to lobby for oil embargo in North Korea sanctions

August 31, 2017

TOKYO- Japan will encourage other countries to include an embargo on oil exports as one of the U.N. Security Council's additional sanctions against North Korea, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Wednesday.

On the topic of new Security Council sanctions resolutions against Pyongyang, which fired a ballistic missile over Hokkaido, northernmost Japan, on Tuesday, Suga told a press conference that Japan would like to seriously consider what would be the most effective way to increase pressure.

"Oil (embargo) is one of the options," Suga said.

The responses of China and Russia, both permanent members of the Security Council, are crucial to introducing an oil embargo, known as a sanction of last resort.

China, on which North Korea relies for around 90 pct of its trade, has opposed an oil embargo on Pyongyang, saying such a measure would have a huge impact on people's daily lives.

It is important for China and Russia, which supply oil to North Korea, to sit on the negotiation table, Foreign Minister Taro Kono told a parliamentary meeting.

"The roles of China and Russia are of vital importance," Suga said about sanctions against North Korea. He added that Japan will ask the two countries to play a responsible and constructive role at various levels.

"We highly appreciate the clear message," Suga said on the adoption on Tuesday of a Security Council presidential statement strongly condemning North Korea's actions. Jiji Press