Japan Imposes Sanctions on Russian, Belarus Leaders Over Ukraine Crisis

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks before the media at his official residence as an extraordinary Diet session was closed, in Tokyo, Japan, on Dec. 21, 2021. (Yoshikazu Tsuno/Pool via Reuters)

Japan’s government has imposed sanctions on members of the Russian leadership and some financial institutions, as well as leaders of Belarus in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

The sanctions come after Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Monday that Japan will further strengthen its sanctions if the situation in Ukraine deteriorates. This round of sanctions includes the freezing assets of six Russian leaders, including President Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, Security Council’s deputy chairman Dmitry Medvedev, and the council’s secretary Nikolay Patrushev.

The asset freeze will also target three Russian financial institutions, namely Russian state development corporation VEB, Promsvyazbank, and Bank Rossiya. Japan will prohibit exports to 49 Russian entities as part of the sanctions, the ministry said.

Kishida said that Belarus, an ally of Russia, will also be subject to new sanctions. The country has been criticized for allowing Russian troops to use its territory to launch its invasion of Ukraine.

Kishida on Monday imposed sanctions on the Central Bank of Russia and extend $100 million in emergency humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.

“To more solidly demonstrate our wish for solidarity with the people of Ukraine, Japan will take the measure of allowing visa extensions to any Ukrainians in Japan who wish to do so,”Kishida said on Twitter after holding talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday.

The prime minister had strongly condemned Russia’s attack on Ukraine and urged Moscow to engage in diplomatic talks.

READ MORE

• Australia, Japan Announce Sanctions on Russia Over Actions in Ukraine

Japan relies on Russia for some of its energy needs, with Russia providing more than 12 percent of Japan’s thermal coal in 2021 and almost a tenth of its liquefied natural gas. Kishida said he did not foresee any significant impact on energy supplies in the short term and would take all measures into account to limit such impacts on households and companies should oil prices continue to rise.

Meanwhile, the United States also sanctioned Russia’s Central Bank and other sources of wealth, except energy sanctions, on Monday, after imposing sanctions against Russian leaders last week.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that the United States seeks “to ensure Russia pays a severe economic and diplomatic price for its further invasion of Ukraine” and is “prepared to impose further costs on Russia” if necessary.

The Australian government said it will expand the sanctions it already had in place for past Russian aggressions, which will also target Russian banks. The European Union, the United Kingdom, and Canada have also announced sanctions on Putin and Lavrov.

Mimi Nguyen Ly and Reuters contributed to this report.