Japan To Join Efforts To Reduce Ukraine Tension
Tokyo, Feb 17: Tokyo intends to join efforts to reduce tensions around Ukraine through diplomacy, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said ahead of a telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin scheduled for Thursday.
“As tension persists, no scenario will come as a surprise. Our country should also make efforts to reduce tensions through diplomacy,” Kishida told representatives of his faction, as quoted by Japanese news agency Kyodo.
Japan is considering various options for sanctions against Russia in the event of an escalation in Ukraine, including restrictions on exports of high-tech goods and the freezing assets of Russian officials.
Kishida said that possible sanctions would be coordinated with the United States and European countries. In the past few months, the West and Ukraine have accused Russia of massing troops near the Ukrainian border in alleged preparation for invasion. Russia replied that it has no intention of invading Ukraine while stressing that it has the right to move its forces within its own territory while pointing to NATO’s increased activity along its borders as a threat to national security.
