The Japanese Finance Ministry said Wednesday it has frozen three bank accounts held in the nation by a North Korean company based on its financial sanctions against Pyongyang, according to Kyodo. The ministry froze three bank accounts held at a financial institution by Korea International Chemical Joint Venture Co. worth about 800,000 yen. No transactions had taken place in the three accounts for more than 10 years, it added. It is the second case in which the ministry has frozen suspicious bank accounts under Japanese economic sanctions on North Korea. Tokyo imposed financial sanctions on Pyongyang on Sept. 19 following the latter's missile firings in July, effectively banning remittances to 15 entities and one individual suspected of having links with North Korean programs for missiles and weapons of mass destruction. The ministry said it is conducting a special inspection of about 270 financial institutions operating in Japan and it has completed a probe into 75 financial entities so far. Japan has already frozen an account held in the nation by a North Korean governmental financial entity, Tanchon Commercial Bank. The ministry is considering tightening its economic sanctions against North Korea over its claimed nuclear test on Oct. 9, including freezing more bank accounts in Japan held by the country's entities and individuals.
