Japan Expands Russia Export Ban

Japan has expanded its list of goods banned from being exported to Russia, the Kommersant business daily reported Thursday, citing Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Until now, Japan’s export ban included electronic components and equipment, machine parts, communication equipment and tools used to manufacture semiconductors.

A sixth major category in Japan’s export ban now includes automated computer numerical control machine tools.

According to a statement from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry cited by Kommersant, the latest additions to the ban were included “with the cooperation of leading countries, including [Japan's], based on the results of analyzing and identifying the details in Russian weapons used in Ukraine.”

On Thursday, the Japanese ministry’s trade control chief met his counterparts from the United States and South Korea to step up three-way cooperation on export controls against Russia.

Tokyo’s expanded export ban also came on the same week that Japan’s Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Saito Ken met Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

Japan has joined Western sanctions against Russia after the invasion of Ukraine.

However, Tokyo has kept stakes in some of its joint energy projects with Moscow to ensure its energy security.

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