Tokyo Calls US Sanctions on ICC Officials 'Very Unfortunate'

Japan has publicly rebuked the United States over its decision to impose sanctions on two officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC), including its Japanese president. In a statement, Tokyo's foreign ministry described the move as "very unfortunate," marking a rare moment of friction between the two allies.

The sanctions, announced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, target Judge Tomoko Akane, who serves as ICC president, and Abdoulaye Seye, a Senegalese lawyer involved in the prosecution's bid for an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Japan's foreign ministry reaffirmed its longstanding support for the Hague-based court, which was established in 2002 to address war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. Japan has been a member since 2007. The ministry's statement underscored Tokyo's consistent backing of the ICC's mission to prosecute the most serious international crimes.

The development places Washington at odds with Tokyo, a nation that heavily depends on US military support for its own defence and rarely criticises its primary security partner. The sanctions also continue to strain relations between the US and several European allies.

Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen voiced opposition to the sanctions on social media, extending an invitation to Akane to discuss continued support. The Netherlands hosts the ICC.

Akane had previously warned in December that such sanctions could rapidly undermine the court's operations and jeopardise its very existence. The latest measures, which freeze US-held assets and effectively bar the individuals from the US financial system, follow similar actions taken by Washington last year against other ICC personnel. Those earlier sanctions were linked to the court's arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as its investigation into US military actions in Afghanistan.