Japanese Lawmakers Criticize Government Response to US Sanctions on Japanese ICC President

Bipartisan Japanese lawmakers issued a statement today (August 24) criticizing the Japanese government for its passive response to the U.S. Donald Trump administration's sanctions against the Japanese president of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The suprapartisan parliamentary league advocating for human rights diplomacy, composed of ruling and opposition lawmakers in Japan, released a statement asserting that the Japanese government's response regarding the U.S. designation of ICC President Akane Tomoko and others as sanction targets is "notably insufficient compared to other countries."

Regarding Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae's remarks following the sanctions on President Akane that she "thinks it is very regrettable," the parliamentary league dismissed them, calling them "mere sentiments rather than a clear expression of intent."

They also pointed out that the international community took action within days of the sanctions announcement, noting that the Netherlands, where the ICC headquarters is located, expressed its opposition to the U.S. sanctions.

Furthermore, the league urged the Japanese government to lodge a protest with the U.S. side regarding the sanctions on President Akane and others and demand their immediate withdrawal.

Kyodo News reported that lawmaker Nakatani Gen of the Liberal Democratic Party (former defense minister), who serves as co-chair of the parliamentary league, emphasized at a general meeting held in the parliament that "order under the law is the axis of Japanese diplomacy and the foundation of its security policy."

Former Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and others attended the general meeting, where a message sent by President Akane to the parliamentary league was introduced.

President Akane appealed, "Please protect the survival of the ICC and the rule of law to the end."

During a press conference on the same day, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru, the Japanese government spokesperson, stopped short of countering the U.S. sanctions, giving only a conventional stance in response to criticisms of the government's approach: "We consistently support the ICC and are in close contact with President Akane. We will securely provide necessary support."

Meanwhile, Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu did not mention the U.S. sanctions against ICC officials during an international law seminar held by the Japanese Foreign Ministry in Tokyo for Asian and African administrative officials, instead emphasizing only that Japan has striven to strengthen the role of international judicial bodies, a move likely to spark controversy.

According to NHK, Foreign Minister Motegi emphasized in a video message for the international law seminar that "Japan values the roles of international judicial bodies for maintaining legal order and has actively engaged in strengthening their capabilities," adding that having Japanese nationals head both the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the ICC is the accumulated result of such efforts.

The ICJ is headed by Judge Iwasawa Yuji, a former professor of international law at the University of Tokyo.

Without mentioning the U.S. sanctions against ICC President Akane, Foreign Minister Motegi stated that "the international order is facing various challenges."

At the seminar, American attorney Paul Reichler, who served as chief counsel for the Philippine government during the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) proceedings 10 years ago that ruled in favor of the Philippines in its South China Sea territorial dispute with China, delivered a lecture.

In an interview with NHK following his lecture, he criticized the Trump administration's sanctions against ICC President Akane and others, stating, "Attacking the court or imposing sanctions on individual judges is an extremely destructive act that runs counter to the peaceful resolution of disputes and the rule of law."

Meanwhile, the Asia Crime Prevention Foundation (ACPF), a Japan-centric international non-profit foundation that conducts crime prevention and criminal justice development activities in the Asia-Pacific region, also issued a statement of solidarity with President Akane, stating, "It is extremely important to be able to perform duties free from any undue interference."

The Trump administration has been successively sanctioning ICC figures since February of last year, shortly after taking office, taking issue with the issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The ICC stated that with the addition of President Akane and others, 9 out of 18 judges, both deputy prosecutors, 1 former prosecutor general, and 1 staff member have become targets of U.S. sanctions.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.