Russia has retaliated to Japanese sanctions by imposing its own entry restrictions on a number of Japanese citizens.
On Thursday Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov was meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Russia Tikahito Harada.
“There was an exchange of views on the pressing issues concerning Russian-Japanese relationships. Harada was given a list of Japanese citizens who have been restricted from entering the Russian Federation in response to Tokyo’s visa sanctions against a number of our country’s citizens,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on Friday.
In March Tokyo suspended talks with Moscow over relaxation of visa requirements in order to put pressure on Russia over the situation around Ukraine and Crimea. Furthermore, the Japanese government then decided to freeze talks with Russia over investments, guarantees regarding peaceful uses of the outer space and prevention of dangerous military activities.
On April 29 the Japanese authorities adopted further sanctions against Russia involving a temporary entry ban for 23 Russians. Tokyo claims this is because Moscow failed to take steps to de-escalate tensions in Ukraine.
In early August the Japanese Cabinet followed the U.S. and the EU in approving new sanctions against Russia. The list included 40 individuals who, according to the ministers, were “directly involved in the destabilization of the situation in Ukraine,” including the former Ukrainian president, Viktor Yanukovych, and Crimean leaders.
The list also included two Crimean companies, Chornomornaftogaz and Feodosia.
In response, Moscow announced a postponement of Russian-Japanese consultations at the level of deputy ministers initially scheduled for August.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin commented on the Japanese restrictive measures against Russia: “We were surprised to hear recently that Japan has joined some sanctions. Why Japan, I do not quite understand.”
