Banning 63 Japanese citizens from entering Russia is unacceptable. This was announced on Thursday, May 5, by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who was included in the sanctions list of the Russian Federation.
According to him, the responsibility for the current state of Russian-Japanese relations lies entirely with Moscow.
“It is Russia that turned to military measures and caused this whole situation,” The Japan Times quotes the words of the Japanese premier.
On May 4, Russia banned the entry of 63 Japanese citizens. The measures taken were also introduced as a response to the introduction by Japan of personal sanctions against Russian citizens, as well as for “unleashing an unprecedented anti-Russian campaign and allowing unacceptable rhetoric against the Russian Federation.”
Alexei Chepa, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, commented on the restrictions imposed on Japanese politicians. According to the deputy, recently Japan has taken a number of unfriendly steps against Russia, and this action of the Russian Foreign Ministry should be regarded as a warning to Tokyo.
On April 12, Japanese authorities approved additional sanctions against 398 people and 28 organizations from Russia. In addition, Japan approved the freezing of the assets of Sberbank and Alfa-Bank from May 12.
Foreign countries are introducing new sanctions against Russia against the backdrop of an operation to protect Donbass, which Moscow announced on February 24. A few days earlier, the situation in the region had deteriorated significantly due to shelling by the Ukrainian military. Then the authorities of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics announced the evacuation of residents to the Russian Federation, and also turned to Moscow for help. On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing the independence of the LPR and DPR.
For more up-to-date videos and details about the situation in Donbass, watch the Izvestia TV channel.
