Japan Imposes New Sanctions

New Sanctions Imposed

• In December 2023, Japan expanded its sanctions against Russia over its ongoing war in Ukraine, banning the import of Russian diamonds for non-industrial use and adding dozens of organizations and firms to its trade blacklist.

• This expanded trade blacklist now includes 57 organizations within Russia and 6 organizations within the UAE, Syria, Armenia, and Uzbekistan.

• 27 Belarusian entities have also been included in the new Japanese sanctions.

Japan Takes Tough Stance on Russian Aggression

• According to media reports, Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, has taken a tougher position on Russia than any other country in the Asian region, where leaders have been hesitant to voice their positions.

• During the G7 Hiroshima Summit 2023, Prime Minister Kishida pledged “unwavering solidarity” with Ukraine and condemned attempts globally to utilize force to change the status quo.

• Last year, Moscow blacklisted more than 380 Japanese parliamentarians in a retaliatory measure for Tokyo’s stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine and accused the Japanese lawmakers of “adopting an unfriendly, anti-Russian position notably by expressing unfounded accusations against our country concerning the special military operation in Ukraine.”

Japan's Sanctions to Date

• With the announcement of new sanctions against Russia, Japan has now imposed export bans on 494 Russian organizations, 27 Belarusian entities and 6 more in other countries.

• Japan has already frozen the assets of numerous Russian groups and individuals and has banned the export of goods to any of Russia’s military-related organizations, alongside sanctions banning the export of construction and engineering services.

• Media reports note that at the G7 Hiroshima Summit 2023, Japan and its partners agreed to “starve Russia of G7 technology, industrial equipment and services that support its war machine.”