Japan on Friday extended economic sanctions on North Korea by a year to punish it for what was widely seen as a long-range missile test, but softened its drive for a United Nations resolution to chastise Pyongyang, according to Reuters. Japan has called for a fresh, legally binding resolution by the U.N. Security Council to declare Pyongyang in violation of a previous resolution banning the firing of ballistic missiles. But Russia and China, permanent veto-wielding council members, have opposed the move, unconvinced the launch was a violation.
