The Japanese government will expand Ukraine-related export and financial sanctions against Russia and Russian businessmen, in line with similar measures taken by Washington and Brussels last Friday.
“We intend to ban the export of luxury goods to Russia and ban the import of certain Russian goods,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told the press on Wednesday. According to the official, Japan will also expand its list of “the Russian elite, including those close to [President Vladimir] Putin,” which will be subject to restrictions such as asset freezes.
In addition, Tokyo will deprive Russia of its most favored nation trade status, which carries a risk of punitive tariffs or a complete ban on the import of Russian goods to Japan.
Other steps include introducing measures to prevent Russia from circumventing sanctions, including via cryptocurrencies.