Five North Koreans barred from entering Japan

TOKYO, July 24 (Reuters) Five North Koreans were refused permission to enter Japan today in accordance with sanctions Tokyo put in place after a flurry of North Korean missile launches early this month, officials said.

Tokyo responded to the seven July 5 test launches with a package of sanctions that included banning visits by a North Korean ferry long suspected to have been involved in transporting parts for North Korea's missile programme, and halting already rare charter flights between the two nations.

In addition, visa applications from North Koreans were to be strictly scrutinised, a Justice Ministry official said.

''It was under this provision that the applications of the five were rejected,'' he added, declining to give further details.

According to Kyodo news agency, the five included people who were hoping to repatriate the remains of relatives who died in Japan after being forcibly brought to the country during its 1910-1945 colonisation of the Korean peninsula.

Visits to Japan by North Koreans are rare.

In the fiscal year that ended on March 31, 2005, only 116 were granted short-term visas, mainly to take part in special events such as sports, the Justice Ministry official said.

Japan's sanctions to date centre on a six-month ban on visits by the Mangyongbong-92 ferry, the only direct passenger link between the two nations and also an important conduit for carrying money to North Korea.

Laws passed two years ago allow Tokyo to suspend remittances and trade, as well as take other steps to restrict the flow of money and goods, although they do not specifically name any one nation.

Lawmakers have also begun discussions on toughening these laws to impose additional economic sanctions, such as possibly limiting fund remittances.

REUTERS LL VV1634