U.S. Suggests Further Discussions on Japan’s Sanctions against North Korea

Michael Green, senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council (NSC), was known to have said on January 31 that in relation to the issue of Japanese abducted by North Korea, it would be more desirable for Japan to decide whether to impose economic sanctions against North Korea after it goes through sufficient discussions with the U.S.

According to the Japanese press, at a meeting in downtown Tokyo, the senior director conveyed this message to the acting secretary general of Japan`s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Shinzo Abe.

Abe, widely known as one of the hardliners against North Korea, said to Green that this issue could now no longer be handled in working level talks, which inevitably made Japan consider economic sanctions.

Green replied that, given the perspective of “dialogue and pressure,” Japan’s consideration was highly understandable, but the senior director, at the same time, suggested further consultations between Japan and the U.S., strongly asking Japan to decide on the actual imposition after its consultations with the U.S.

Regarding the imposition of economic sanctions against North Korea, Abe was known to have suggested on January 30 that given the fact that North Korea’s exports, such as clams, to Japan have been led by military and National Defense Committee chairman Kim Jong-Il and members of his inner circle, sanctions would probably serve to block money flow into the military in the North if imposed. In this regard, Abe suggested sanctions against marine products from North Korea.

Won-Jae Park parkwj@donga.com