Russian Diplomats in Japan Continue to Evade Parking Fines

Dec 03, 2024 | News On Japan

TOKYO - The issue of diplomatic vehicles avoiding parking fines in Japan due to diplomatic immunity continues, with Russia reaching a record-high number of violations, accounting for 63% of the total.

A list obtained from the National Police Agency through an information disclosure request revealed that vehicles with diplomatic license plates evading parking fines in Japan continue to be led by Russia. In fiscal 2023, the number of cases reached 2,418, marking the worst in six years.

The proportion of Russia’s violations increased by four percentage points from the previous fiscal year, setting a new record at 63%.

Meanwhile, the total number of countries involved in such evasions decreased by nine, reaching the lowest level to date.

Why is Russia’s share overwhelmingly high?

In 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained to the Diet, “The Russian Embassy has stated that it is making efforts to eliminate parking violations but maintains a stance of being unable to pay parking fines.”

As the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches, the country’s defiance of international norms has once again come to light.

Source: FNN

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