(Reuters) -Russia imposed entry bars on Tuesday on 30 Japanese individuals, including a foreign ministry official, in response to sanctions introduced by Tokyo as part of moves to denounce Moscow's
Japan Condemns Russia's Expanded Entry Ban Amid Ukraine Conflict
Japan's Response to Russia's Sanctions
TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan decried as "absolutely unacceptable" on Wednesday Russia's extension of an entry ban to 30 more citizens, among them a foreign ministry spokesperson, after Tokyo's sanctions over Moscow's nearly four-year-old war in Ukraine.
Following similar moves by Western nations, Japan had placed additional sanctions on Russian companies, individuals and other entities in September, while lowering its cap on Russian seaborne crude.
Russia's foreign ministry issued on Tuesday a list of Japanese added to those facing "indefinite" prohibition. The new names included the spokesperson, Toshihiro Kitamura, as well as journalists and academics.
Details of the Entry Ban
Japan has protested against the "regrettable" move, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a briefing on Wednesday, adding that people-to-people exchanges between the two countries remain important.
He accused Moscow of shifting the blame for its invasion of Ukraine.
Impact on Energy Imports
Moscow has taken similar measures against Japanese officials and civilians in retaliation for sanctions.
Japan, however, continues to import energy from the far-eastern Russian island of Sakhalin, despite calls by the United States for allies to sever ties to pressure Moscow.
Asked how Britain's ban on insurance for Russian gas shipping would affect energy from Sakhalin and whether Tokyo would increase sanctions on Moscow, Kihara declined to comment.
Future Diplomatic Relations
Japan will take appropriate steps to achieve peace in Ukraine while securing its national interests, he added.
(Reporting by Reuters; Additional reporting by Kantaro Komiya in Tokyo; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Clarence Fernandez)
