Japan extends its sanctions to 71 companies and 141 people linked to Russia

The government of Japan today announced a new round of sanctions against Russia which include the freezing of assets of 141 people, including the country’s prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, and the banning of exports to 71 Russian companies.

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The new punitive measures are aimed at contributing to “international efforts” for peace in Ukraine, as announced in a statement by the Japanese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, and have been made public after Tokyo announced the progressive suspension the day before. of its imports of Russian crude.

In addition to the Russian prime minister, who joins the list of people who were already subject to sanctions such as President Vladimir Putin, the newly sanctioned include other senior political, business and military officials from Moscow and the pro-Russian republics of Lugansk and Donetsk. .

Japan will also ban exports to 71 Russian companies and scientific research institutions, and will ban sales to the neighboring country of certain products considered high-tech, such as quantum computers.

In its previous rounds of sanctions, Japan decided to stop exporting semiconductors and microchip components that could be used by the Russian military industry, and among other product categories, it also halted sales of luxury cars to Russia.

The spokesman for the Executive, Hirokazu Matsuno, stated this Tuesday at a press conference that Japan has approved these new sanctions in coordination with the G7, and after the telematic and face-to-face meetings that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has held in recent weeks with other leaders of the group of seven.

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“Japan is very shocked by the situation in Ukraine, in which the lives of innocent civilians have been ended, and with the serious humanitarian crisis and the extraordinary destruction of cities such as Mariupol,” said the spokesman, who also accused Moscow of “cruel and inhumane acts”.

Kishida announced the day before that the world’s third largest economy would suspend its imports of Russian crude, which represent less than 4% of its total global purchases of this fuel, within the framework of what was discussed in the G7.

Japan, however, clarified that this interruption would be done progressively to minimize the impact on its energy supply, and in the same sense announced that for the time being the Japanese presence will be maintained in joint energy operations with Moscow, such as those on the island of Sakhalin.

Source: Elcomercio

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