TOKYO: The Japanese government decided Friday to expand its sanctions against North Korea, adding three organizations and four individuals involved in the reclusive country’s nuclear and missile development to the list of targets for asset freezes.

According to Japan’s Foreign Ministry, the new sanction targets include Andariel, a group based in North Korea that engages in cyber-related activities, as well as North Korean and Chinese nationals.

The decision came in response to North Korea’s attempt to launch a military reconnaissance satellite on Aug. 24 and its firing of two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday.

The latest North Korean actions are “unacceptable as they threaten the peace and security of the international community,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a press conference on Friday.

The top Japanese government spokesman also criticized North Korea for not taking concrete steps to resolve the issue of Japanese abductees in the country.

JIJI Press