Tokyo, Oct. 14 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is apparently struggling to persuade Washington to change its stance after the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump imposed sanctions against the International Criminal Court. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has expressed her country’s continued support for the ICC. But the situation may have consequences for the rule of law, which Japan has consistently upheld since the end of World War II. On Friday night, immediately after the United States announced the sanctions, Takaichi wrote in a social media post that these were “incompatible with Japan’s… position, and Japan is deeply concerned about them.” At a parliamentary meeting on Tuesday, she said Japan would “continue to communicate” with the United States and “support the ICC’s activities in cooperation with countries concerned.” On Saturday, Japan joined seven other countries, including Britain, France and Germany, in issuing a statement saying that they “strongly disagree with the announcement of sanctions.” The Japanese government moved quickly due to a sense of crisis. A Foreign Ministry official said that the impact of the sanctions was “significant,” while a government official said that the measures “deny the existence of the ICC.” A senior Foreign Ministry official said that the Japanese government will ask the United States to reconsider the sanctions in cooperation with countries that have expressed support for the ICC. Behind the scenes, Japan had been urging the United States not to put pressure on the ICC. At their summit in September, Takaichi explained her support for the court to Trump. The two leaders confirmed that their foreign ministers would remain in close communication on the ICC issue, but this failed to prevent the sanctions from the Trump administration, which aims to dismantle the court. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the need for sanctions on the ICC during a call with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Saturday. A Foreign Ministry official acknowledged the difficulty of persuading the Trump administration to change its stance. “We have no choice but to continue lobbying at all levels,” the official said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
