Japan's foreign minister has warned North Korea that time is running out to stop its nuclear weapons program before Tokyo and its allies impose economic sanctions.
In an interview on Japan's NHK television Sunday, Nobutaka Machimura said that if the situation continues for a year or two, the issue will have to be sent to the UN Security Council.
Mr. Machimura said Tokyo could also start economic sanctions if Pyongyang does not tell the truth about eight of 13 Japanese citizens who were abducted to train spies during the Cold War.
North Korea says the eight are dead, but Japan suspects they could still be alive. Two sets of remains turned over last month proved not to be those of two abductees.
Some information for this story provided by AP and Reuters.
