Japan imposes new sanctions on Russia over Ukraine invasion

Japan has tightened its sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine and announced an expansion of the list that includes a ban on the export of electric cars. 

A series of sanctions were imposed on Russia after it sent troops to Ukraine in February last year, but calls escalated from Kyiv and its allies to tighten measures against Moscow. 

Tokyo had previously frozen the assets of Russian individuals and groups and banned the export of goods to organizations linked to the Russian army and the export of construction and engineering services. 

On Friday, the government expanded the list of goods subject to the export ban to include cars equipped with engines with a capacity of 1900 cubic centimeters or more, as well as hybrid and electric cars, according to a statement by the Ministry of Trade. 

The implementation of the new sanctions, approved by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government on Friday, will begin on the ninth of August. 

The official at the Ministry of Trade, Noriyuki Kuroda, told reporters, "Since more than a year has passed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we were in the process of expanding the list of goods" subject to the export ban. 

The recent sanctions come after similar measures were revealed by the United States and the European Union, Kuroda said. 

Other goods, including steel, plastic products, and electronic components "that can be converted for military use," have been added to the list of banned items. 

During the Group of Seven meeting in Japan in May, the leaders of the bloc's countries agreed to "deprive Russia of the Group of Seven technology, industrial equipment, and services that support the Russian war machine." 

The United States, Britain, and the European Union have imposed further sanctions on Moscow because of its invasion of Ukraine and pledged to provide additional military aid to Kyiv. 

AFP