Japan Imposes More Sanctions After Revoking Russia’s ‘Most Favored Nation' Status

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attends a news conference on the coronavirus (COVID-19) measures, in Tokyo, Japan, on Feb. 17, 2022. David Mareuil/Pool via Reuters

Japan announced Friday that it will impose sanctions on 15 Russian individuals and nine organizations over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, after the government announced the revocation of Russia’s “most favored nation” status.

Japan has now put sanctions on 76 individuals, seven Russian banks, and 12 Russia-based organizations, according to its finance ministry.

This round of sanctions includes the freezing assets of Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, chief of GRU military intelligence service, and Russia’s deputy defense ministers. The sanctions also target several military equipment manufacturers, including United Aircraft Corp and state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport.

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced Wednesday that the government will revoke Russia’s “most favored nation” status, a clause that forbids members of a trade agreement to discriminate between trading partners.

The status removal would result in higher taxes on Russian goods. Kishida said the move is in line with a statement issued by the United States and its allies to escalate their economic pressure on Russia.

Japan’s Defense Ministry also claimed to have detected four Russian amphibious warfare ships sailing through the Tsuruga Strait, between Japan’s main island of Honshu and Hokkaido prefecture, on Wednesday.

The military said Thursday that the Russian vessels, which can carry dozens of military vehicles and hundreds of troops, were possibly heading to Ukraine.

Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force first spotted the Russian vessels on Tuesday and monitored them as they passed West from the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Japan through the Tsuruga Strait.

Japan’s military also detected 10 Russian navy ships passing through the Tsugaru Strait on March 11, Jiji Press reported. 

“It is concerning that the Russian military is stepping up operations around Japan while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues,” Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi told reporters. “We will keep a close watch with a sense of tension.”

Japan has strongly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and imposed several sanctions in a bid to pressure Moscow. It banned Russian banks from the SWIFT global interbank network, blocked the assets of several Russian leaders, including President Vladimir Putin, and prohibited exports to 49 Russian entities.

“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a historic atrocity,” Kishida told a news conference on Wednesday. “We’re taking necessary steps including sanctions to apply further pressure on Russia.”

To support Ukraine, Kishida said on March 4 that Japan will supply Ukraine with defense equipment, such as bulletproof vests and helmets, and pledged to accept Ukrainian refugees even if they have no relatives in Japan.

Japan also sanctioned Belarus for allowing Russian forces to use its territory to launch its invasion of Ukraine.

Reuters contributed to this report.