Japan imposes new sanctions on Russia

 Japan on Friday approved additional sanctions against Russia over its war on Ukraine, including freezing the assets of dozens of individuals and groups and banning exports to dozens of organisations in Russia and several other countries that have allegedly helped it evade sanctions.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Friday's Cabinet the additional sanctions shows Japan's commitment to the Group of Seven's effort to strengthen sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Japan has imposed several previous rounds of sanctions, and the latest step comes a month after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reaffirmed the country's policy at an online G7 summit in mid-December.

“It is Japan's contribution as part of the international effort toward achieving global peace and resolving the problems surrounding Ukraine because of Russian invasion,” Hayashi said.

According to a joint statement by Japan's foreign, trade and finance ministries, 11 individuals, 29 organisations and three banks from Russia, as well as a North Korean and a Georgian bank that allegedly helped evade sanctions, were added to an asset freeze list.

The Cabinet approved imposing total export bans on 22 Russian military-related organizations, including technology and machinery makers.

It also approved a list of 335 items that cannot be exported to Russia, effective Jan. 23. That list includes construction vehicle engines and parts, motorized bicycles, communication and acoustic devices, mechanical tools and valves, according to the trade and industry ministry.

Export restrictions will also be applied to 31 non-Russian groups that the government says helped Russia to divert restricted goods and evade sanctions — 11 based in Hong Kong, seven in mainland China, eight in Turkey, two in Kyrgyzstan and one each in Thailand, the UAE and Kazakhstan.

Japan's additional sanctions and export restrictions are in line with the G7 attempt to prevent Russia from evading sanctions with help from third countries and include a ban on exporting materials that could help strengthen Russia's industrial base, Hayashi said.

Japan has closely cooperated with the G7 in sanctioning against Russia and supporting Ukraine amid growing concern about the war's impact Asia, where China has threatened to use force to exert its control over Taiwan.