Japan protests Russian extradition requests for ICC leadership

Japan protested Russia’s requests to extradite International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane and eight other officials on October 9. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki described measures targeting court personnel as unacceptable.

Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office sent requests to the Netherlands and other countries on October 8. Moscow previously issued warrants for nine ICC officials after the court’s 2023 arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine. The Moscow City Court sentenced the officials in absentia to prison terms last year.

Ozaki said Tokyo had conveyed its objections to Moscow. According to TASS, Russia accuses the ICC of issuing warrants against Russian citizens without evidence and contrary to international law. That is Moscow’s position rather than an established finding about the legality of the court’s decisions.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told parliament that Japan had consistently supported the ICC and would continue to do so. Akane is a Japanese citizen, while the court is based in the Netherlands.

Relations are also strained by a dispute over Pacific islands seized by the Soviet Union in the final days of World War II. The dispute remains an obstacle to a peace treaty. The Hindu reported that tensions had increased following Putin’s August visit to islands claimed by Japan.

Tokyo’s support for the ICC also creates difficulties in its relationship with the United States. Washington imposed sanctions on Akane and about a dozen other court personnel over investigations involving Israeli officials and US military conduct in Afghanistan. The measures freeze assets under US jurisdiction and restrict entry for court officials and their families.