Exposing an apparent loophole in Japan's sanctions against North Korea, a Cambodian-registered freighter carrying 8,500 used bicycles left Sakai Port in Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture, for North Korea. It is the first such move since the government banned the entry of North Korean vessels following Pyongyang's nuclear test in October.
The 2,740-ton Argus was provided by a Russian shipping firm at the request of a Nagano-based trading company among others.
Following North Korea's nuclear test in October, the Japanese government banned the entry of all North Korean-registered ships into Japanese ports, prohibited the importation of all products from North Korea and blocked exports of luxury goods, such as passenger cars and electrical appliances, from Japan.
Although bicycles are not included in the list of luxury items prohibited for export to North Korea, the ban on ships entering the nation's ports has effectively restricted the export of bicycles to North Korea. here
