Japan’s largest steelmaker, Nippon Steel Corp. has discontinued the import of anthracite coal from North Korea because of North Korea’s test-launches of missiles and nuclear development program, sources said on Saturday.
Nippon Steel was the only Japanese firm importing anthracite from North Korea, accounting for about 13% of Japan’s imports from that country. The steelmaker had been purchasing about 2 billion yen worth anthracite coal from North Korea annually.