TOKYO – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and different Group of Seven leaders adopted a set of extra sanctions in opposition to Russia over its conflict on Ukraine at a web-based G-7 summit Friday to mark the one-year anniversary of the beginning of the invasion.
The leaders renewed their dedication to “intensifying our diplomatic, financial and military support for Ukraine, to increasing the costs to Russia and those supporting its war effort,” and countering the detrimental affect on the remainder of the world, particularly essentially the most weak individuals, they stated in a press release, in accordance with the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
The G-7 nations additionally affirmed their coordinated motion to “further counter Russia’s capacity to wage its illegal aggression’ and pledged to prevent Russia from obtaining military equipment and technology. They also called on other countries to stop providing military support to Russia.
Kishida, as this year’s G-7 president, also announced Japan will impose additional sanctions on Russia, including freezing the assets of some 120 individuals and organizations and banning the export of drones and other materials that can be used for military purposes.
Latest Developments in Ukraine: Feb. 25
“In order to utterly not permit one-sided adjustments to the established order, we should firmly perform help for Ukraine and sanctions in opposition to Russia to regain peace and worldwide order based mostly on the rule of regulation,’ Kishida advised a news convention earlier than internet hosting a teleconference with different G-7 leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“G-7 serves the core of the international commitment to do so,’ he said.
At the summit, Kishida planned to discuss the latest developments in the Russian war on Ukraine and how to support Ukraine’s recovery and affirm G-7 solidarity for the war-torn country.
Kishida noted growing concern about China’s potential transfer of lethal weapons to Russia, and he said that Japan will cooperate with G-7 and other countries to send a “clear message” to third countries to stop supplying weapons to Russia.
Kishida also expressed “sturdy concern” about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement Tuesday that he was suspending Moscow’s participation in an arms control treaty between Russia and the United States.
“Russia’s nuclear risk is unacceptable, and use of nuclear weapons ought to by no means occur,” Kishida, whose electoral constituency is Hiroshima, said at the news conference. “As the world’s solely nation to have suffered nuclear assaults, the 77-year historical past of non-nuclear weapons use shouldn’t be tarnished by Russia.”
As the world observed the one-year anniversary of Russia’s war on Ukraine, about 1,000 people protested Friday night in Tokyo’s Hibiya Park, holding banners saying: “Russia, cease invading Ukraine.’ Outside of the United Nations’ University in Tokyo, demonstrators held a candlelight vigil. And at Zenkoji temple in Nagano in central Japan, about 30 monks prayed for the lives misplaced within the conflict.
Top diplomats from Ukraine, the United States, Britain, Sweden, the EU, Lithuania and Sweden at a joint news convention in Tokyo referred to as for solidarity for Ukraine and condemned Russia. U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel stated Putin is incorrect to accuse NATO of increasing eastward. He stated the latest NATO members expanded west by their free will as a result of the West has “a pull” of freedom, liberty and respect for people.
Also Friday, nuclear and safety specialists on a panel on the non-profit Sasakawa Peace Foundation launched suggestions for the Kishida authorities to provoke discussions on the G-7 Hiroshima summit towards establishing a framework to guard nuclear services in battle areas, in response to Russia’s repeated assaults on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant in Ukraine.
Due to its pacifist rules, Japan’s help for Ukraine has been restricted to non-combative navy tools comparable to helmets, bulletproof vests and drones, and humanitarian provides together with turbines.
Kishida is the one G-7 chief who has not visited Ukraine. Pressure is mounting at house for Kishida to go to Kyiv earlier than he hosts the G-7 summit in Hiroshima. Asked a couple of attainable go to, Kishida stated he’s “considering” a go to, making an allowance for methods to make sure security and secrecy, however nothing official has been determined.
Japan has joined the United States and European nations in sanctioning Russia over its invasion and offering humanitarian and financial help for Ukraine. Japan was fast to react as a result of it fears the attainable affect of a conflict in East Asia, the place China’s navy has grown more and more assertive and has escalated tensions round self-ruled Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory.
Kishida on the on-line G-7 additionally defined Japan’s help for Ukraine. That features a new $5.5 billion in monetary assist, which Kishida unveiled Monday, bringing whole Japanese help for Ukraine to greater than $7 billion.
Japan has additionally accepted greater than 2,000 displaced Ukrainians and helped them with housing help and help for jobs and training – a uncommon transfer for a rustic that’s recognized for its strict immigration coverage.