Tokyo, 26 February, /AJMEDIA/
Japan targets banks, military groups in new sanctions on Russia
TOKYO – Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday unveiled a set of tighter Japanese sanctions against Russia featuring a freeze on assets held by Russian banks and curbs on exports to military-linked groups in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The new sanctions package also includes export controls on semiconductors and other high-tech products, as well as a suspension of visa issuance for certain Russian individuals and entities, Kishida said at a news conference.
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Ukraine calls for talks with Putin as Russian forces approach Kyiv
LVIV, Ukraine – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday called for direct talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as Russian troops advanced toward Kyiv on the second day of their invasion.
“Let’s sit down at the negotiating table to stop people from dying,” Zelenskyy said in a video message. The invasion has seen more than 100 of his compatriots killed, over 300 people injured and around a hundred thousand displaced.
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Putin tells Xi Russia willing to have high-level talks with Ukraine
BEIJING – Russian President Vladimir Putin voiced willingness to have high-level negotiations with Ukraine during phone talks Friday with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the Foreign Ministry said, a day after Moscow invaded the former Soviet republic by land, air and sea.
Xi told Putin that Beijing supports Moscow in efforts to resolve the Ukraine crisis through dialogue, the Chinese ministry said, adding he emphasized the necessity of respecting the legitimate security concerns of all countries.
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U.S. to join EU in imposing sanctions on Putin after Ukraine attack
WASHINGTON – The United States said Friday it will join the European Union in imposing sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin, the latest in a series of punitive measures taken in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
It is rare to impose sanctions on a head of state. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and members of the country’s national security team will also be subject to the sanctions, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, noting that they will include a travel ban.
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Japan’s Cabinet approves draft law to promote economic security
TOKYO – Japan’s Cabinet approved Friday a draft law to promote economic security by strengthening supply chains for vital products such as semiconductors and to better cope with geopolitical risks associated with China and Russia.
As global competition intensifies in the high-technology field and concerns grow about cyberattacks, the government aims to enact the bill during the current parliament session through mid-June.
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Cargo ship with possible link to Japanese firm hit by rocket: media
LVIV, Ukraine – A cargo ship was hit by a rocket off the coast of Ukraine in the Black Sea on Friday, causing a fire on board, Reuters reported, citing a local shipping agent.
The cargo ship Namura Queen’s registered owner is a company based in the western Japanese prefecture of Ehime, according to a website providing information on vessels. There is no information yet regarding casualties.
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Sporting world condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
TOKYO – Sporting bodies and figures around the world have condemned Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, the crisis breaking out on Thursday in the middle of the Beijing Games hiatus.
The incident had immediate effects on sporting events held in Russia or involving its teams. Japan was among a host of nations to pull out of a freestyle World Cup ski cross event being held in Russia, while the 2023 rugby World Cup qualifier between Georgia and Russia in Tbilisi on Sunday was called off.
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At least 7 killed in M6.2 quake on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island
JAKARTA – At least seven people were killed and 85 others injured in Indonesia after a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the country’s Sumatra Island on Friday, the disaster agency said.
National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Abdul Muhari said in a statement that the deaths were confirmed in West Sumatra Province in the central part of the island.