Most people responding to a recent survey are in favor of imposing economic sanctions on North Korea.

The Kyodo News survey found that 64.4 percent of respondents were in favor of moves such as suspending cash remittances, compared with 26.3 percent who were opposed.

The survey also showed that 74.2 percent of the 1,024 respondents said they want the Diet to pass a bill during the current session that would allow specific ships to be banned from entering Japanese ports. This would mainly be aimed at the North Korean ferry Mangyongbong-92, which provides the only direct link between Japan and North Korea.

The results show the public wants the government to increase diplomatic pressure on North Korea in the absence of progress in bilateral talks over Pyongyang's abductions of Japanese nationals.