Japan expands sanctions against Russia

Japan has introduced additional sanctions against Russian individuals and entities and expanded export restrictions to Russia, the Japanese Foreign Ministry reported on Jan. 27. Under the new sanctions package, Japan will ban exports of goods and technology that can be used for military purposes to 49 Russian companies from Feb. 3.

These products include water cannons, gas and oil exploration equipment, tear gas, powder for fingerprints, vaccines, explosives, laser welding machines, robots, and others, according to the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Among the sanctioned Russian businesses are aircraft company JSC Irkut Corp, surface-to-air missile maker MMZ Avangard, and heavy-duty truck manufacturing company KAMAZ.

Japan will also freeze the assets of 22 Russian individuals and three entities, including Deputy Defense Minister Mikhail Mizintsev, Justice Minister Konstantin Chuychenko, children's ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova, vice-prime ministers Dmitry Chernyshenko and Andrey Belousov, relatives of the Russian oligarch Suleyman Kerimov.

Japanese Foreign Ministry's report reads that 14 individuals related to Russia's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula and parts of southeastern oblasts have been sanctioned as well.

In October, Japan froze the assets of 81 individuals, nine organizations, high-ranking government officials, military organizations, and some of Russia's proxies responsible for sham referendums in occupied Ukrainian regions.