Japan has joined international efforts to stop Iran’s nuclear activities, announcing a new series of sanctions affecting 106 Iranian companies, one individual and three Iranian banks.
AFP reports that the Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yukio Edano announced that its blacklist for Iran now includes 267 organizations, 66 individuals and 20 banks.
Japan also announced that it would suspend any new investments in Iran’s oil and gas sector.
Edano said, however, that Japan “should be careful” about a complete halt to crude oil imports.
Iran is Japan’s fourth-biggest oil supplier, and Japan is Iran’s third largest crude importer after China and India.
The European Union is also looking at further sanctions against Iran, but the sanctions do not include the oil and gas sector, since Italy and Greece, both grappling with an ailing economy, depend heavily on Iranian crude.
The new wave of international sanctions against Iran started after the recent report from the International Atomic Energy Agency indicated concern regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
