Japan urged to push back against US sanctions on ICC president

A former Japanese defence minister has called on Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to take a firmer stance against United States sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its Japanese president, Tomoko Akane, describing the measures as an attack on the rules-based international order.

Gen Nakatani, a senior lawmaker in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and a national security expert, said there was no justification for the ICC or Akane to face what he termed "political coercion and sanctions" from Washington. He leads a cross-party group of dozens of lawmakers focused on human rights and diplomacy, which plans to submit its demands to the government's top spokesperson by mid-September.

Nakatani's appeal comes weeks before Takaichi's expected visit to the United States for the UN General Assembly, where she may meet President Donald Trump. He argued that Japan should not have to choose between its alliance with the US and its commitment to the rule of law, warning that a docile approach could erode Washington's trust in Tokyo as an ally.

Takaichi has previously described the US sanctions as "unfortunate" and inconsistent with Japan's policy, but has faced criticism for not responding more forcefully. The US imposed the sanctions over ICC investigations into Israeli officials in Gaza and US military personnel in Afghanistan, freezing assets held in US jurisdictions and barring court officials and their families from entering the country.

Akane, speaking last month, said the sanctions had not intimidated her or disrupted her work. She vowed to protect the court and its operations, and urged Japan to rally other ICC member states to defend the institution and persuade Washington against further escalation.