Not a single drop of oil will be sold to Japan! Russia’s deputy foreign minister delivers a firm statement, prompting cheers and applause from reporters on the spot!
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has made it clear to Tokyo. His words were straightforward: Russia will not sell a single drop of oil to Japan. The reason is simple—Japan supports imposing a "price cap" on Russian oil. Upon hearing this, the reaction from reporters present was intense—some clapped, others cheered.
The Russian newspaper Izvestia published the full interview on March 31. TASS relayed the core statement on the same day.
The roots of this issue go back to 2022, when the G7 and the European Union set a “price cap” of $60 per barrel for Russian seaborne oil. Japan, as a member of the G7, followed suit. Then, on February 1 this year, the EU reduced the cap further to $44.10 per barrel—and Japan again followed.
Putin had already signed an order: any contract containing this “price cap” clause would result in Russia banning oil supplies to that country. This red line has been drawn by Russia for four years. Japan has repeatedly stepped over it.
The United States, which led the sanctions campaign, is now struggling to sustain its own position. With the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, global oil prices soared. To ease domestic inflation pressures, the U.S. quietly opened a loophole on March 12, allowing sales of Russian oil already aboard ships, valid until April 12.
A Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry official stated that Japan will assess whether to purchase Russian crude oil based on international developments and national interests. Within the Liberal Democratic Party, there are even discussions about lifting economic sanctions against Russia. Many economists have also called for Japan to source oil from neighboring Russia to safeguard national interests.
Japanese Foreign Minister Tamaki Toshimitsu publicly declared: even if the U.S. relaxes restrictions, Tokyo will not lift its sanctions against Russia. Social activist Mikio Kimura directly criticized Asahi Takanao, saying that while the U.S. has eased some sanctions, Japan continues to “foolishly refuse,” missing a valuable opportunity.
Now, Russia has spoken clearly—there’s no way anyone can buy Russian oil. Isn’t this simply getting what they asked for?
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1861234322466816/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.