Although it says it is not singling out North Korea, the transport ministry plans new legislation that would sharply curtail, if not end, port visits by ships from the reclusive state

"The bill is not aimed at rejecting a certain country's ships. But if the present situation of North Korean ships continues, it will be extremely difficult for most of them to enter Japanese ports," said a senior ministry official, who asked not to be identified.

The decision, announced Monday, is in line with the planned enactment of the revised Safety of Life at Sea Treaty next July stipulating safety rules for vessels plying the high seas. It was revised late last year to include anti-terror measures-for example, preventing ``suspicious people'' from entering ports. The revisions were prompted by the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States ......
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