Japan steps up sanctions against Russia with G7

TOKYO, May 26 (Reuters) – Japan will impose additional sanctions on Russia after the Group of Seven (G7) summit the country hosted last week agreed to step up measures to sanction Moscow’s invasion of Moscow, cabinet chief said Hirokazu Matsuno Friday.

Matsuno, Tokyo’s top government spokesman, also condemned Russia’s move to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus on Thursday, saying it would further exacerbate the situation surrounding the invasion of Ukraine.

“As the only country to have experienced atomic bombing in wartime, Japan will never accept Russia’s nuclear threat, let alone use it,” Matsuno said at a regular news conference.

G7 leaders, including the United States, Britain, Germany and France, last week showed their determination to support Ukraine with additional military aid and sanctions against Russia at the annual summit held in the world’s first atomic bomb city. Hiroshima.

In a coordinated move with the G7, Japan will freeze the assets of 78 groups and 17 individuals, including military officers in Russia, and ban exports to 80 Russian entities, such as military-affiliated research labs, a State Department statement said. of Friday.

Japan will also ban the provision of construction and engineering services to Russia, although details of the measure will be announced at a later date, a statement from the Commerce Ministry said.

Reporting by Kantaro Komiya; Edited by Jacqueline Wong and Michael Perry

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