Japan Targets North Korea’s Rocket Industry Over Weapons of Mass Destruction Fears
Eugene Park Views
On the 6th, Japan expanded its list of foreign organizations suspected of involvement in the development of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), including nuclear weapons and missiles. This updated list now includes 36 organizations, with North Korea’s Rocket Industry Department being a notable addition.
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced on the same day that it added 36 organizations and research institutions from North Korea, China, and Russia to its “foreign user list,” which includes foreign organizations suspected of developing WMDs.
The list now includes six organizations from North Korea, such as the Rocket Industry Department, which oversees their military industry. Additionally, authorities added 11 organizations from Russia and Pakistan each and seven others, including the China Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP) — China’s premier nuclear weapon development and production research institute.
The Japanese government has published the list since 2002 and revises it annually. With the addition of 36 organizations, the list now includes 706 organizations from 15 countries. The new export restrictions related to the list will take effect from the 11th.
By. Aeri Bu
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