Official hints at nuclear deal

“If Japan were to impose sanctions on North Korea without the participation of China, it would not have much effect,” he said.

“Of course it would be able to create discomfort and pain initially, but it would not be effective.”

Shinzo Abe, acting secretary-general of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, had said earlier that Tokyo might announce sanctions against North Korea if it refused to come clean on abductions of Japanese during the Cold War.