About 100 people from pro-North Korea groups staged a sit-in Wednesday outside the Diet to protest sanctions Tokyo slapped on North Korea over its missile and atomic tests and voice concerns over recent harassment targeting pro-Pyongyang Koreans in Japan.</PARAGRAPH> <PHOTO> <TABLE WIDTH='250' ALIGN='RIGHT' BORDER='0'> <TR> <TD><IMG ALT='News photo' BORDER='0' SRC='../images/photos2006/nn20061109a6a.jpg' WIDTH='250' HEIGHT='209'/></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><FONT SIZE='1'><B> People from pro-North Korea groups stage a sit-in Wednesday outside the Diet in Tokyo. </B> KYODO PHOTO</FONT></TD> </TR> <TABLE> </PHOTO> <PARAGRAPH>Participants in the rally, which started at 11:30 a.m., included members of three groups under the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan –

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Japan's sanctions include a ban on entry by the North Korean ferry Mangyongbong-92.

The measure forced about 1,000 Korean residents to cancel trips to North Korea or to instead fly to the hermit state by a roundabout route, because the ferry is the only direct passenger link between the two countries, which have no diplomatic ties, according to Chongryun.

The participants also tried to hand passersby fliers that claim the sanctions infringe on the human rights of Koreans, who are in Japan as "neighbors" and "residents."

They were also seen carrying a placard that said, "We do not condone assaults and harassment against young pupils and students at Korean schools."

The groups said they plan to continue the sit-in through Sunday.