Japan is not considering to impose immediate sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), although its lower house just passed a bill concerned, Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi said in Tokyo Friday. 

"We are not currently considering economic sanctions against North Korea (DPRK)," the Kyodo News quoted Kawaguchi as saying.

Japan's House of Representatives endorsed an amendment Thursday which will enable the government to slap unilateral sanctions on other countries. Japan currently imposes sanctions along with other nations or the United Nations.

Although the bill is applicable to any country, it is believed to target the DPRK in particular as the two countries are at odds over DPRK's nuclear development programs and the abducted Japanese nationals issue.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi also said earlier he has no intention for the time being to invoke the bill which is expected to clear the upper house on Feb. 6, Kyodo News said.

Meanwhile, the policy panels of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party approved Thursday a draft bill that would enable Japan to ban port calls by ships from certain countries perceived as threats to the nation's security.

The move is also deemed as a measure against the DPRK which has a shuttle ship conveying goods and DPRK expatriates. Japanese hardliners claim the ship is also on spy mission.

(Xinhua News Agency January 29, 2004)