Japan is considering imposing stricter export controls on more items bound for South Korea, government sources said Tuesday, in an apparent effort to raise pressure on Seoul to help resolve a bilateral dispute over compensation for wartime labor.
The envisaged plan comes in response to what Tokyo views as Seoul's failure to address the monthslong dispute properly and prevent it from hurting mutual trust between the two neighbors.
Expanding the list of items, possibly to include electronic parts and related materials that can be diverted to military use, will likely exacerbate bilateral tensions, and some within the government remain cautious about taking further steps, the sources said.