Russia bans 30 Japanese academics and journalists in response to sanctions

Russia has permanently banned 30 Japanese citizens from entering the country, including university professors, journalists and government officials, in retaliation for Japan’s sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine, the Russian foreign ministry announced.

The banned individuals include professors from leading Japanese universities including the University of Tokyo, Keio University and Hitotsubashi University, as well as journalists from major Japanese media outlets including Nikkei, Yomiuri, Asahi, Mainichi, Kyodo news agency, TBS and Fuji TV.

Also on the list is Toshihiro Kitamura, director of information at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The measures were taken ‘as part of retaliatory measures against the ongoing so-called sanctions imposed by the Japanese government against our country’,  the ministry said in a statement.

Japan imposed new sanctions in September against 47 Russian companies and nine individuals, as well as entities involved in Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, including the Donbas region and the annexation of Crimea. Also in September, Japan joined the G7 in lowering the price cap on Russian seaborne crude oil to $47.60 per barrel in line with the EU, UK and Canada.