Russia has permanently banned nine Japanese nationals from visiting the country, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday. The action is a response to Japan’s sanctions against Russia for the conflict in Ukraine.
Included among those who have been prohibited are Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwai, Isuzu President Shinsuke Minami, and Shohei Hara, a Senior Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The newest restrictions come after an earlier move in July 2024, when Russia imposed entry bans on 13 Japanese citizens, including the chairman of Toyota Motor. Tokyo had vigorously protested that move.
The Russian authorities regularly impose travel restrictions on foreign citizens as a retaliatory measure against sanctions and protests over its military action in Ukraine. There are such blacklists for several countries, including the United States and Canada, and currently there are hundreds of people on them.
Moscow’s recent action reflects the continuing diplomatic tensions between Russia and Japan, as both countries continue to take tit-for-tat steps in the wake of the larger geopolitical fallout of the war in Ukraine.
