Russia bans entry for 63 Japanese officials, including Japanese Prime Minister Kishida

Asia-Pacific, Europe, News May 6, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

Russia announced a ban on entry for 63 high-level Japanese officials including the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and several of his cabinet members.

The ban comes after Tokyo joined the international sanctions against Moscow along with many western countries.

Russian Foreign Ministry has accused Tokyo of taking “practical steps aimed at dismantling good neighborly ties, damaging the Russian economy and the international prestige of the country”.

According to a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry, “The administration of F Kishida launched an unprecedented anti-Russian campaign (and) allows unacceptable rhetoric against the Russian Federation, including slander and direct threats.”

The Russian Foreign Ministry further stated that “It is echoed by public figures, experts, representatives of Japanese media, who are completely engaged by the attitudes of the West towards our country.”

The statement announced that the ban on entry has been imposed “indefinitely” on 63 Japanese citizens. Apart from the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the list includes the names of Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno as well as several other government officials, lawyers, and journalists.

*^{Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during a news conference at the prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo, Japan, on October 4, 2021. (Image Credit: Toru Hanai/Reuters)}*

Earlier on April 27, the Russian Foreign Ministry also announced to expel Japanese diplomats in a tit-for-tat move after Japan expelled 8 Russian diplomats on April 8. The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned a representative of the Japanese embassy in Moscow and told him that at least 8 Japanese diplomats must leave Russia before May 10.

Along with the U.S. and European countries, Japan has also imposed several economic sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. The Japanese sanctions on Russia include freezing the assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his subordinates.

Following the alleged reports of massacres in cities near Kyiv, the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida accused Russian forces of carrying out “war crimes” in Ukraine. “The killings of innocent civilians are war crimes. I have been in deep shock,” Kishida said in a statement while commenting on the Russia-Ukraine war. “The aggression and war crimes should never be tolerated,” he added.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has also led Japan to reaffirm its stance on the territorial dispute over the isles of Hokkaido. Tokyo’s recent foreign policy report suggests that islands have been “illegally occupied” by Russia. Japan recognizes the isles as its Northern Territory while Russia claims the isles as the territory of Southern Kurils. The territorial dispute between the two countries that started after World War 2, could still not be resolved and prevented the two countries from signing a peace treaty.

In retaliation for alleged war crimes, Tokyo expelled the Russian diplomats at the start of April which deepened the rift between the two countries resulting in an expulsion of Japanese diplomats and a travel ban on high-level Russian officials.