Japan to sanction individuals, groups over North Korea's missile launches

ISTANBUL

Japan on Friday announced fresh sanctions targeting individuals and groups in North Korea after fresh missile launches by Pyongyang.

The government of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida decided to freeze assets of four individuals and three groups, including the North Korean hacking group Andariel, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

Tokyo's fresh measures against Pyongyang came after North Korea launched ballistic missiles early this week.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said North Korea "repeatedly conducts provocative actions," including ballistic missile launches at "an unprecedented rate and employing new ways."

"These are grave and imminent threats to Japan's security, and they threaten the peace and security of the region and the international community as a whole and are absolutely unacceptable," he told a news conference, according to a statement by Japan's Foreign Ministry.

"We will continue to work closely with the US, South Korea, and the international community to the denuclearization of North Korea," said Hayashi.