The Japanese government has approved additional sanctions against Russia over Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This was reported by The Japan Times.
Tokyo will freeze the assets of another 33 organisations and 12 individuals, including a North Korean citizen, in accordance with the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law. Export bans and other measures have been imposed on 53 organisations from a number of countries, including Russia and China.
In addition, Japan will ban the export of 335 more goods to Russia starting on 23 January, including small motorcycles and components for specialised machinery such as cranes.
The sanctions were introduced to strengthen Japan's response to North Korea's support for Russia and Moscow's use of third countries to evade sanctions.
"The additional steps are intended to contribute to international efforts to achieve peace," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said.
He added that Japan will continue to cooperate with the international community, including its partners in the Group of Seven (G7).