Japan on Wednesday criticised the United States' decision to impose sanctions on ICC President Tomoko Akane, calling the move “very unfortunate” and reaffirming Tokyo's support for the International Criminal Court and the rule of law.
Japan's Foreign Ministry said the country has consistently supported the ICC in its efforts to prosecute and punish the most serious crimes of concern to the international community and to uphold the rule of law. Japan also said it would continue working to strengthen the rule of law while maintaining communication with relevant countries.
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Japan called the US sanctions against ICC President Tomoko Akane “very unfortunate.”
Japan reaffirmed its support for the ICC and the rule of law.
The US also sanctioned senior ICC trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye.
The sanctions restrict the designated officials' access to the US financial system and block applicable US assets.
The ICC condemned the sanctions and said they threaten judicial independence.
Japan has supported the ICC since becoming a member in 2007.
The United States announced the sanctions on August 18 against Akane, a Japanese judge who serves as ICC president, and Abdoulaye Seye, a Senegalese senior trial lawyer at the court. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the two had been involved in ICC efforts to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute officials whose governments had not consented to the court's jurisdiction.
The sanctions block applicable US assets of the designated individuals and restrict their access to the US financial system. The US Treasury also authorised a limited wind-down period for transactions involving Akane and Seye through September 17.
The ICC condemned the measures, saying that sanctions against judicial officials threaten the court's independence and place the international legal order at risk.
Seye is a senior trial lawyer on the prosecution team that sought an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The US has previously criticised ICC actions involving Israeli and US officials, while neither the United States nor Israel is a member of the court.
