TOKYO: Japan said on Wednesday it was imposing sanctions on North Korea after a satellite launch seen by Washington and its allies including Tokyo as cover for development of ballistic missile technology that could be used to deliver a nuclear weapon.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference that remittances of money to North Korea in principle would be forbidden.

Japan eased some sanctions on North Korea in July 2014 in return for Pyongyang reopening its probe into the fate of Japanese citizens abducted decades ago by North Korean agents to help train spies, although little progress has been seen since.