麻豆影视

Skip to main content

Japan to expel 8 Russian officials, impose new sanctions

Share
TOKYO -

Japan announced Friday it is expelling eight Russian diplomats and trade officials and will phase out imports of Russian coal and oil, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida saying Moscow must be held accountable for 鈥渨ar crimes鈥 in Ukraine.

Kishida said Japan will also ban imports of Russian lumber, vodka and other goods, and will prohibit new Japanese investment in Russia.

It will also step up financial sanctions against Russian banks and freeze assets of about 400 more individuals and groups, including military-linked organizations, Kishida said at a news conference.

He said atrocities against civilians and attacks on nuclear facilities in Ukraine are 鈥渟evere violations of international law and are absolutely impermissible.鈥

鈥淲e are at a critical moment in our efforts to get Russia to stop its cruel invasion of Ukraine and restore peace. Everyone, please cooperate,鈥 Kishida said, referring to the sanctions' impact on Japan, such as higher prices for gasoline, electricity and food.

Earlier Friday, the Foreign Ministry announced it is expelling eight Russian diplomats and trade officials. European countries have already expelled dozens of Russian diplomats.

Kishida said the expulsion is based on a 鈥渃omprehensive decision taking into consideration Russia's invasion of Ukraine.鈥 He added that Japan will do utmost to ensure safety of Japanese nationals and companies still in Russia in case of a retaliation.

Europe and the United States have also stepped up sanctions against Russia, including restrictions on coal imports, following revelations of harrowing atrocities against civilians in Ukrainian cities.

Kishida said the additional sanctions are in line with an agreement by the Group of Seven industrialized nations.

Reduction of fossil fuel imports from Russia is a difficult choice for resource-poor Japan, whose hydrocarbon needs account for about half of its total energy mix. The decision could mean a shift for Japan's energy policy toward more renewables and nuclear power.

Russia accounts for about 11% of Japanese coal imports and also ranks among the top exporters of liquefied natural gas and oil, according to government data.

Kishida said Russian coal is used industry-wide, from utility companies to cement and steel manufacturers. 鈥淲e will have to assess the impact first, and will take steps toward Russian coal ban by securing alternatives,鈥 Kishida said, declining to set a timeline for a total ban.

The measures agreed to by G7 leaders include a phasing out or banning of imports of Russian coal and oil. Trade Minister Koichi Hagiuda said Japan plans to gradually reduce its energy reliance on Russia while seeking ways to reduce the burden on Japanese companies.

Japan had already imposed some sanctions, including freezing assets of top Russian officials such as President Vladimir Putin, restricting exports of goods including sensitive items with dual military use, and removing key banks from an international messaging system known as SWIFT.

Japan is taking a greater role in the international effort against Russia because of concerns about the impact of the invasion on East Asia, where China's military has grown increasingly assertive.

Japan has already faced reprisals from Russia. Moscow recently announced the suspension of talks on a peace treaty with Tokyo that include negotiations over Russian-held islands which the Soviet Union seized from Japan at the end of the Second World War.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.

A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.

Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Mont茅r茅gie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man鈥檚 best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.