The Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, Hirokazu Matsuno, announced today, Friday, that "Japan will impose additional sanctions on Russia after the G7 countries agreed at their summit hosted by Japan last week to intensify measures to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine." Matsuno condemned Russia's action yesterday when it deployed tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, stating that it "will escalate tensions concerning the invasion of Ukraine."
In a press conference, he said: "As the only country that suffered a nuclear bombing during wartime, Japan will never accept Russia's threats with nuclear weapons, let alone their use."
According to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, Japan, in coordination with the G7 countries, will freeze assets of 78 groups and 17 individuals, including officers in the Russian military, and prohibit exports to 80 Russian entities such as military research laboratories. The Ministry of Trade stated: "Japan will also prohibit the provision of construction and engineering services to Russia," with further details of the measures to be announced later.
