US sanctions ICC President Akane Tomoko, Japan calls move 'very unfortunate'

Published Aug 19, 02:40 PM UTC

The United States sanctioned International Criminal Court (ICC) President Akane Tomoko, a Japanese national, on August 18, prompting a carefully calibrated response from Tokyo. Japan's Foreign Ministry and Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae called the move 'very unfortunate' but stopped short of demanding withdrawal. The sanctions are part of a broader Trump administration campaign against the ICC, which Washington accuses of overstepping its authority. The ICC condemned the sanctions as a 'flagrant attack' on judicial independence. The incident exposes a fundamental tension in Japanese diplomacy: balancing its strong rhetorical support for the rule of law with the strategic necessity of maintaining its alliance with the United States. European leaders and a Japanese cross-party parliamentary group have urged Tokyo to take a stronger stance. The article notes a pattern of Japan avoiding direct confrontation with Washington on international law issues, as seen in its response to US-Israeli attacks on Iran.