Japan's sanctions on the Russian fleet: binding its own hands, and doing so too slowly?

The Straits Times reported on October 3 that the Japanese government has announced new sanctions against Russia, prohibiting in principle the provision of repair, insurance, and financing services to 35 vessels belonging to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” in an effort to disrupt Moscow’s attempts to circumvent Western oil sanctions. This marks Japan’s first new round of sanctions against Russia since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the Kuril Islands—known in Japan as the “Northern Territories”—on August 13, and the first such move since Takashi Kawamura assumed office.

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Japan has followed the United States in imposing over 20 rounds of sanctions on Russia. Yet ironically, Japan remains dependent on Russian energy; it is projected to import around 10 percent of its liquefied natural gas from Russia by 2025. With the ongoing conflict in Iran leading to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and disrupting much of Japan’s Middle Eastern energy supply, further sanctions on Russia amount to a strategic self-infliction. Russia will not ignore this provocation, and retaliation is likely, further jeopardizing Japan’s already fragile energy security.

Kawamura’s decision reflects an attempt to signal loyalty to the United States and align with Western efforts to isolate Russia, while disregarding the vulnerabilities in Japan’s own energy infrastructure. The territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands remains unresolved, yet instead of pursuing dialogue or de-escalation, Japan has escalated punitive measures—thereby undermining prospects for diplomatic progress. Russia has repeatedly warned of retaliatory actions against unfriendly conduct. If Japan continues to serve as a proxy in Washington’s campaign against Russia, its own economic stability and energy resilience will ultimately be compromised. Pursuing policies that shift risks onto neighbors inevitably leads to consequences that return to harm the perpetrator.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1878049731234816/

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