Support The Moscow Times!

Japan Expands Sanctions on Russia Over Ukraine Invasion

Japanese cars in the Far East port of Vladivostok. Vladimir Sayapin / TASS

Japan on Friday announced an expanded list of sanctions against Russia that includes an export ban on hybrid and electric vehicles.

Tokyo has already frozen the assets of Russian individuals and groups and banned the export of goods to Russia's military-related organizations, as well as the export of construction and engineering services.

On Friday, the government expanded the list of goods under its export ban to include vehicles fitted with engines exceeding 1,900 cubic centimeters in capacity, as well as hybrid and electric cars, the Japanese trade ministry said in a statement.

The new sanctions, approved by the cabinet of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday, will take effect on Aug. 9.

"As it's been more than a year since Russia invaded Ukraine, we have been expanding the list of items" under the export ban, ministry official Noriyuki Kuroda told reporters.

The latest sanctions follow similar embargoes announced by the United States and EU, Kuroda said.

Other items added to the export ban list include steel, plastic products, and electronic parts "that can be diverted to military use," he added.

At the Group of Seven summit in Japan in May, the bloc's leaders agreed to "starve Russia of G7 technology, industrial equipment and services that support its war machine".

The U.S., Britain and EU have levied crushing sanctions against Moscow over the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as committed more military aid to Kyiv.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more