Russia says preparing asymmetric response to Japan's sanctions

Moscow will not ignore Japan's anti-Russian sanctions and will take appropriate countermeasures, including asymmetric ones, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has said, Caliber.Az reports via TASS.

"Japan's latest unfriendly actions will not go unanswered, but our response will be thoughtful and based on national interests. We will continue to take appropriate countermeasures, including asymmetric ones," Zakharova announced during a briefing.

Since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Japan has joined Western allies in imposing multiple sanctions packages against Moscow, targeting individuals like Zakharova, entities, and sectors such as defence and finance, while providing aid to Kyiv. Russia retaliated with entry bans on Japanese officials (e.g., Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya in March 2025), asset freezes, and asymmetric measures like restricting Japanese access to Russian markets and resources, exacerbating bilateral tensions amid unresolved disputes over the Kuril Islands

By Khagan Isayev