Japan tightens Russian sanctions in line with G7

Japan will freeze the assets of 78 groups and 17 individuals, including army officers in Russia and ban exports to 80 Russian entities.

Japan has announced additional sanctions on Russia after the Group of Seven (G7) summit the country hosted last week agreed to step up measures to punish Moscow over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In coordination with other G7 members, Japan will freeze the assets of 78 groups and 17 individuals, including army officers in Russia and ban exports to 80 Russian entities such as military-affiliated research labs, according to a foreign ministry statement released on Friday.

Japan will also ban providing construction and engineering services to Russia, although the details of the measure will be announced at a later date, a trade ministry statement said.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, Tokyo’s top government spokesperson, also condemned Russia’s move to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, saying it would further intensify the situation.

“As the only country to have suffered atomic bombings during wartime, Japan never accepts Russia’s nuclear menace, let alone its use,” Matsuno told a regular press conference on Friday.

The leaders of the G7, including France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, underlined their resolve to support Ukraine with additional military aid and sanctions on Russia during their summit in Hiroshima last week.

They said the restrictions would cover exports of industrial machinery, tools and technology useful to Russia’s war effort, while efforts would be made to limit Russian revenues from trade in metals and diamonds.