Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Tuesday U.S. sanctions imposed on Tomoko Akane, the Japanese judge who heads the International Criminal Court, are "incompatible with Japan's position," while dismissing criticism that Tokyo's response to the issue has been weak.
Takaichi told reporters in Tokyo that Japan takes the sanctions "very seriously" and has been "consistently supporting" the ICC, a week after Washington announced the measure on Akane, the first Japanese national to head the ICC, in its latest effort to dismantle The Hague-based judicial body.
Takaichi's government has come under scrutiny at home and abroad for not taking a firm stance against U.S. President Donald Trump's administration after she said Wednesday the sanctions were "very unfortunate," falling short of criticizing Japan's close ally.
"We made persistent efforts at various levels, right up to the last minute, to persuade the United States" not to impose sanctions on Akane, Takaichi said, emphasizing that Japan remains committed to "strengthening the rule of law."
Takaichi also said that Japan, as the largest contributor to the institution, has a responsibility to defend the ICC and will keep monitoring the situation closely while making "necessary efforts at the appropriate time."
Earlier in the day, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi expressed the same views as Takaichi, citing Japan's support for the ICC's role in prosecuting the most serious crimes of concern to the international community.
Takaichi and Motegi's comments came after a bipartisan group of Japanese lawmakers on Monday criticized the government's response as too weak, saying the government had offered little more than expressions of disappointment.
Officials of international human rights bodies such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have also said that Japan should adopt a more resolute attitude against the U.S. sanctions.
Motegi said Kazuhiko Nakamura, head of the Foreign Ministry's International Legal Affairs Bureau, recently traveled to the Netherlands to meet with Akane and discuss what support she needed.
The United States has taken an "extremely tough" stance toward the ICC and indicated that further measures could follow, Motegi said, adding that Japan will continue consultations with relevant countries to determine the most effective way to respond to the U.S. measures.
