Russia Calls Japan's Sanctions Over Ukraine 'Unfriendly'

By The Moscow Times

July 29, 2014

Japan's sanctions against Russia have been limited so far. In April, Tokyo imposed visa bans on 23 people and suspend bilateral talks with Moscow.

Russia said Tuesday that Japan's plans to impose sanctions on the people it considers to be involved in instability in eastern Ukraine were "unfriendly" and would harm relations between the two countries.

"The imposition by Tokyo of new sanctions on Russia … inevitably threaten a whole range of bilateral relations, and set them back," Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Tokyo is looking to freeze assets of Russian citizens and organizations that supported the Crimean annexation, as well as restricting Crimean imports, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said, The Associated Press reported Monday.

Suga urged Russia to exercise influence over separatists groups in Ukraine so that they will cooperate in the international probe into the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17.

The European Union released a third round of sanctions against Russia on Tuesday, expanding existing measures into the oil sector, dual-use goods and defense.

Japan's sanctions against Russia have been limited so far. In April, Tokyo imposed visa bans on 23 people and suspend bilateral talks with Moscow.

Material from Reuters is included in this report.

Russia Rails Against EU Sanctions, Lambasts U.S. Over Ukraine

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