The Japanese government has expressed regret over the U.S. government's imposition of sanctions on the Japanese head of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Speaking to reporters at the Prime Minister's Office on the afternoon of the 19th, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated regarding the sanctions, "I find this extremely regrettable," adding, "We will continue to respond while maintaining communication with related countries, including the United States."

Earlier, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement under the name of Press Secretary Toshihiro Kitamura, saying, "Japan has confirmed that ICC President Judge Tomoko Akane has been additionally designated for sanctions by the United States."

The statement continued, "Japan has consistently supported the ICC, a permanent international criminal court, in its efforts to prosecute and punish the most serious crimes of concern to the international community and to uphold the rule of law," adding, "From this perspective, the announced measures are extremely regrettable."

It further stated, "Japan will continue its efforts to strengthen the rule of law in the international community while maintaining communication with relevant nations."

The Foreign Ministry's statement followed the U.S. government's announcement on the 18th local time that it would sanction President Akane and ICC Principal Appeals Counsel Abdoulaye Seyé.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the announcement via a statement, adding, "They have been directly involved in the ICC's efforts to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials of countries that have not consented to ICC jurisdiction."

Additionally, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added President Akane and the other individual to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) list that day.

Speaking to Kyodo News on the 18th local time regarding the sanctions, a U.S. State Department spokesperson stated that the measures were not directed at the Japanese government, but nonetheless expressed expectations for allies, including Japan, to "cease support for the ICC."

At the same time, the spokesperson emphasized that the U.S.-Japan alliance is "the cornerstone of peace, stability, and freedom in the Indo-Pacific."

Established in 2002 in The Hague, Netherlands, under the Rome Statute, the ICC is a permanent international tribunal that has prosecuted and punished former and current heads of state and others who have committed crimes against humanity, such as war crimes and genocide.

However, the Trump administration has maintained that the United States is not a party to the Rome Statute and that the ICC has no jurisdiction to try Americans.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)