Japan Tightens N. Korea Sanctions

Japan is punishing North Korea for its recent rocket launch with renewed and tightened sanctions, the BBC reports. Japan has lowered the cap on monetary transmissions to reduce the flow of money into the country. A ban on imports from North Korea remains in place, but a total ban on exports to North Korea failed to pass.

"North Korea forced a missile firing, the act that our country finds intolerable," said Japan's chief cabinet secretary. Japan and the US are pushing the UN Security Council to adopt fresh sanctions against North Korea for what the nations consider a long-range missile test. Russia and China are opposed, however, saying there is no proof the country did anything wrong.
(More North Korea stories.)