Japan suspends trade with North Korea

Tokyo: Japan has banned North Korean vessels from its ports and called an immediate halt to commercial imports in response the Korean underground nuclear test. The sanctions were decided by Japan's national security council and will go before the Japanese cabinet tomorrow. They follow milder penalties imposed by Japan in July after the North Koreans test-fired missiles over the Pacific. The UN Security Council is shortly to consider international sanctions against North Korea proposed by the US.  [12/10/06]