Mar 08 (Al Jazeera) - Japan has frozen the assets of dozens more Russian and Belarusian officials and oligarchs in Tokyo’s latest move to punish Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
The latest sanctions target 20 Russians, including deputy chiefs of staff for President Vladimir Putin’s administration, the head of the Chechen Republic, and executives of companies with close ties to the Kremlin such as Volga Group, Transneft and Wagner, the country’s finance ministry said on Tuesday.
The list also includes 12 Belarusian government officials and business people, as well as 12 organisations in Russia and Belarus.
Payment and capital transactions with individuals and entities on the list will require government permits from now on, the ministry said in a statement.
Japan is also banning exports of Russia-bound oil refinery equipment and Belarus-bound general-purpose items that could be used by its military, the ministry said. ...continue reading