Russia, Japan Foreign Minister and 7 Others Banned from Entry... "Response to Sanctions Against Russia"

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has indefinitely banned nine Japanese individuals, including Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, from entering Russia.

On the 3rd (local time), according to TASS and RIA Novosti, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced this in a statement.

Takeshi Iwaya, Japanese Foreign Minister. Photo by Yonhap News

The Ministry stated, "In response to Japan's so-called sanction policy against us, we have decided to ban certain individuals from entering the Russian Federation."

Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, Japan has joined Western sanctions against Russia. Foreign Minister Iwaya stated at the end of last year that following South Korea, the United States, and the European Union (EU) imposing independent sanctions on high-ranking North Korean generals due to North Korea's deployment of troops to Russia, "We are also considering additional sanctions in response to the expansion of North Korea-Russia military cooperation."

On the 24th of last month, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba declared at the G7 virtual summit, "Japan will continue to support Ukraine and impose sanctions on Russia in coordination with the G7."