Japan supports anti-Russian sanctions, but maintaining ties is important — senior diplomat

Japan supports anti-Russian sanctions, but maintaining ties is important — senior diplomat According to Takeshi Akahori, Tokyo "will act accordingly, based on what serves its national interests"TOKYO, July 10. /TASS/. Japan supports the G7’s sanctions policy on Russia even as it believes that maintaining relations with Russia is important, Japanese Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Takeshi Akahori said in response to a TASS reporter’s question. "Japan will continue to closely cooperate with the international community, primarily the G7, to support Ukraine and the sanctions against Russia," he said at a briefing that discussed the results of the G7 summit in France. "At the same time, Russia is a neighbor of Japan, and maintaining appropriate bilateral relations is important," he added. According to the senior Japanese diplomat, Tokyo "will act accordingly, based on what serves its national interests." Since 2022, Japan has imposed several packages of sanctions on Russia, which has heavily derailed bilateral ties. Russian Ambassador to Tokyo Nikolay Nozdrev earlier told TASS in an interview that relations had hit an unprecedented low due to Japan’s hostile policy course. The diplomat identified Tokyo’s abandonment of its unfriendly course as a prerequisite to restoring relations and re-establishing interstate contacts. Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a message marking the opening of an exhibition in Tokyo dedicated to Iosif Goshkevich, the first diplomatic representative of the Russian Empire to Japan, that there are steadfast supporters of constructive dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation with Russia in Japan despite the current political climate, as he expressed confidence that "no political circumstances can shake that." TagsJapanUkraine crisisNobody going to admit Ukraine to NATO even in a decade, former PM saysNikolay Azarov added that, at the same time, no NATO ally receives as much funding, the same amount of modern weapons, intelligence, and political support as UkraineRead moreOrganizers announce Eastern Economic Forum’s theme for 2026The forum will take place in Vladivostok on September 1-4Read moreCSTO nations discuss details of Interaction, Search, Echelon-2026 military exercisesAccording to the organization, representatives of the defense ministries of the Russian Federation, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, as well as the CSTO Joint Staff and Secretariat, took part in the staff talksRead moreIsrael ready to resume campaign against Iran — defense ministerThe United States and Israel started a war with Iran on February 28Read moreKiev needs to hold Slavyansk, Kramatorsk during NATO summit — expertAndrey Marochko says Vladimir Zelensky needs to show the West that the Ukrainian army is "doing fine and stable"Read moreAist reconnaissance-strike system was demonstrated in KazanIvan Terekhov, Executive Director of Irbis Sky Tech, noted that the Aist has already undergone testing in the special military operational zoneRead moreRussia’s FIS chief says work underway to clear Russians for int’l competitionsThe Council of FIS didn’t discuss the issue of the return of Russian athletes at its July 7 meetingRead moreDeath toll from Venezuela earth quake climbs to 3,88916,740 people were injured and 17,907 were left homeless, said Jorge Rodriguez, the president of the National AssemblyRead moreSpain 'nobody’s lackey,' Spanish minister says in response to TrumpPablo Bustinduy emphasized that he wasn't ruffled by the US president’s latest remarksRead moreTechnical talks between US, Iran continue — ReutersThe news agency said, citing a US official, that Washington is still committed to finding a solution with IranRead moreRussia no longer trusts West’s declared readiness to negotiate — LavrovThe Russian Foreign Minister says negotiated solutions were reached back in 2014, 2015, and 2019, but the West’s guarantees were dismantled by the West itselfRead moreNaval base in southeastern Iran comes under attack — news agencyGovernor of the Konarak County Mohammad Younes Haqqani says the attack, which was carried out in two stages, using fighter jets, resulted in two explosionsRead moreUkrainian troops abandon weapons, ammunition made in Poland, France, Italy in VasilyevkaCommander Mikhail Knyazkin says "a huge amount" of weapons and ammunition was left behindRead moreNo hope in human rights situation in Ukraine — Russian Foreign MinistryGrigory Lukyantsev, Russian Foreign Ministry's department director, says the section on this country has become the largest in the joint report of Russia and Belarus on the human rights situation in some countriesRead moreRussia kills Ukrainian drone commander, border officer in special op zoneThe official also said that the Hawks took part in the invasion of the Kursk Region and terrorized the people of the border areas with dronesRead moreSome Iranian missiles fired at US bases in Middle East reached targets — WSJUS officials claimed the attacks had caused minor damage and no casualtiesRead moreAverage gasoline price in US has risen amid escalation in Middle EastThe highest fuel prices are recorded in California where a gallon of gasoline costs an average of $5.38Read moreIN BRIEF: Five injured in car accident involving Kursk Region top officialFirst Deputy Governor and Chairman of the Kursk Region government Alexander Chepik was not injuredRead moreUS strikes Iran bridge on transport corridor connecting it with Russia, China — FarsThe strike targeted a railway bridge in the Akkala area of Golestan province near the Turkmen borderRead moreMuhammad most popular boys name for newborns in England, Wales for third straight yearThe second and third most popular male names were Noah and LeoRead moreUkraine will begin Patriot missile production in two years at best, expert saysKonstantin Kosolap noted that prior to production, a new factory should be constructed and the required technology masteredRead moreIsrael kills head of Islamic Jihad group's production department in GazaAccording to the IDF, the man played a central role in numerous processes within the unit responsible for the production and supply of the entire range of weapons to the military wing of the radical organizationRead moreDiplomat reveals number of Russian civilian casualties from past week’s attacks by Ukraine38 Russian civilians, including one child, were killed, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova saidRead moreQatar suspends ramp-up of LNG production following attack on tanker — BloombergOperations at the facility will be scaled back to a minimum, with the number of vessels being loaded reducedRead moreUkrainian officers arrested for killing Monaco blast suspect implicated in attack tooInvestigators reportedly examined the suspects’ financial transactions, noting that both had made multiple transfers to Anastasia Berezovskaya’s cryptocurrency wallets and bank accountsRead moreUS prepared for potential strikes on Iran, conducting diplomacy for now — TVUS officials told CNN that the situation is dynamicRead moreRussia waits for OPCW to react to Kiev’s use of toxic chemicals — permanent representativeFor instance, Russia informed the organization about the discovery of smoke grenades with chloropicrin at Ukraine’s positions in the DPR, as well as about a Ukrainian drone attack carried out with improvised munitions containing the same substance on a school building in the DPRRead moreRussia-Belarus human rights report to be handed over to UN commissioner soonThere has been no official substantive reaction to the reports yet, Grigory Lukyantsev, Russian Foreign Ministry's department director, saysRead moreRussian forces advancing simultaneously in two areas in DPR — expertAndrey Marochko added that Russian troops are also advancing southwest of Kutuzovka along the Byk RiverRead moreRussian regions reliant on northern deliveries require special attention regarding fuelAlexander Novak stressed that all measures aimed at supplying such regions with necessary resources should be closely monitored by the authorities and decisions should be made as quickly as possibleRead moreKey statements from President Putin's meeting with Cabinet on fuel situationThe president noted that Russia's current fuel difficulties are temporary, adding that the country's energy sector possesses a high margin of safetyRead morePolitician says Kiev behind Monaco attack over tycoon’s plan to expose Ukraine corruptionViktor Medvedchuk says the uncovering of the schemes "would have spelt a disaster for the Kiev regime ahead of the NATO summit"Read moreOil and gas revenues of Russian budget down 22.7% in 1H year-on-yearNon-oil and gas revenues of the budget for January-June 2026 increased by 16.3% year-on-year to $197 blnRead moreNATO summit sought to draw Trump into conflict with Russia — diplomatRodion Miroshnik emphasized that maintaining strategic uncertainty is one of the main features of European policy, in particular, "against this backdrop, it is very easy to make high-profile statements that have no real outcome"Read morePress review: US, Europe may clash over Ukraine as China missile alarms Pacific regionTop stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, July 7thRead moreRussia’s appeals over Starobelsk college attack disregarded by OSCE — senior LPR lawmakerFirst Deputy Chairman of the People’s Council Andrey Sopelnik added that the UN Human Rights Council did not respond as wellRead moreIranian army reports cruise missile attack on US vessels off Bahrain coastAccording to the report, a US destroyer was among those targetedRead moreLavrov says Russia agreed to US proposals at Alaska summitThe Russian top diplomat said that any other interpretations were irrelevantRead moreIgla shotgun cartridges can pierce toughest drones — RostecThe cartridges are being mass-produced and supplied to Russian Armed Forces units performing combat missionsRead moreRussia’s budget deficit totals 2.5% of GDP in January-June — ministryFederal budget revenue increased by 5.8% compared to the same period in 2025, to 18,622 bln rubles Read moreRussian stocks close in the red on ThursdayThe ruble-denominated MOEX Index dropped by 1.53%, the dollar-denominated RTS Index decreased by 0.92%Read moreNetanyahu tells Trump that Erdogan’s anti-Israeli remarks were seriousThe Israeli prime minister emphasized that the remarks were directed against the existence of the State of IsraelRead moreIran uses Soviet-era fighter jets to provide security at Khamenei's funeralThe jets conducted patrols to secure the airspace over Mashhad as part of heightened security measuresRead morePossibility of Putin-Trump conversation, US duplicity — topics of Peskov's briefingRussia believes US President Donald Trump was mistaken in suggesting that an escalation of military operations between Russia and Ukraine could contribute to an early settlement, Dmitry Peskov statedRead morePress review: NATO summit sets Ukraine support as EU resists sanctions critics in EU blocTop stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, July 8thRead morePress review: NATO summit pledges 140 bln euros for Ukraine and US ends Iran peace effortsTop stories from the Russian press on Thursday, July 9thRead moreMozambique, Russia to hold intergovernmental commission meeting in SeptemberMozambican Foreign Minister Maria Manuela dos Santos Lucas says the talks would focus on the economic sphereRead moreEurope speculates about Russia's alleged defeat to justify militarization — diplomatThe notion that Russia, suffering defeat, might suddenly strike NATO territory tomorrow is utterly illogical, Anna Yevstigneyeva emphasizedRead moreRussia fully aware of US actively supplying weapons to Kiev, has no delusions — KremlinThe decision for the US to transfer a license for the production of Patriot systems to Ukraine was announced yesterday by US President Donald TrumpRead moreSerbia's economy open to Russia, China — ministerNenad Popovic explained that economic openness was a priority for Serbia, as "the results of such cooperation benefit our citizens and contribute to the country's prosperity"Read moreLavrov arrives in Mozambique as part of his African tourRussian Foreign Minister ’s previous visit to Mozambique took place in May 2023Read moreAir defenses destroy 111 Ukrainian UAVs over Russian regions within 12-hour periodIn particular, drones were shot down over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Oryol, Tula, Kaluga, Moscow, Krasnodar Regions, the Republic of Crimea, the Republic of Bashkortostan and the Republic of TatarstanRead moreUS completes another wave of strikes against Iran — CENTCOM"U.S. forces struck approximately 90 Iranian military targets including air defense systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone storage sites, naval capabilities, and military logistics infrastructure along Iran’s coastline," the US Central Command saidRead moreUS warplanes again detected circling over Persian GulfBesides, two more planes are flying over the Persian Gulf coast and two - over the neutral waters of the Gulf of OmanRead moreRussia’s Battlegroup North destroys 354 Ukrainian UAVs during past dayThe enemy also lost 42 drone control centers, the battlegroup’s spokesman Alexander Tikhomirov saidRead moreNATO's aggressive actions and countering Patriot systems: Kremlin's statementsDmitry Peskov noted that the Russian government is doing everything necessary to protect the countryRead moreWestern diplomats call Russia anonymously to discuss human rights reportGrigory Lukyantsev highlighted that outwardly the Western diplomats pretended that the report did not existRead moreInternational Modern Pentathlon Union lifts sanctions against Russia — sports chiefThe International Olympic Committee earlier recommended lifting restrictions on the participation of Russian athletes in all international tournamentsRead moreAt least million people arrive in Mashhad to attend Khamenei’s funeralApart from Iranians, who arrived from all over the country, people with flags of Pakistan, Lebanon and Palestine could also be seen in the crowdRead moreState of emergency introduced in Zaporozhye Region from July 9 due to drone-induced firesThe total area of destroyed winter wheat crops amounts to 1,479 hectaresRead moreGerman parliament rejects Greens’ initiative to deliver Taurus missiles to KievOnly 79 lawmakers voted in support of the documentRead moreUAC delivers Su-30SM2, Su-34 fighter jets to Russian Defense Ministry — RostecThe aircraft have completed the entire cycle of required ground and flight factory tests and have departed for their duty stationsRead moreUN charter relevant while Germany, Japan, Italy vote against resolution on NazismGrigory Lukyantsev, Russian Foreign Ministry's department director, said that the number of states voting annually for the Russian resolution on combating the glorification of Nazism is stableRead moreSound of explosion in Bushehr caused by air defense engagementA military base on the outskirts of the city was attacked, Bushehr Province Deputy Governor Ehsan Jahanian saidRead moreUkraine to get Patriot missiles soon — ZelenskyVladimir Zelensky also said that Kiev and Washington had reached agreements about producing interceptor missiles for the Patriot systems on the territory of UkraineRead moreRussia’s Mnogotochie special rounds effective against drones — RostecAccording to Bekkhan Ozdoyev, industrial director of Rostec’s Armament Cluster, board member of the Union of Russian Machine-Building Enterprises, combat operations in the special military operation zone in Ukraine are called a "drone war" because drones attack both equipment and soldiers from all sidesRead moreRussia has sufficient potential to continue special military operation — KremlinRussia is ready for a peaceful resolution but has enough capability to act independently, Dmitry Peskov stressedRead moreRussia ratifies deal on aerospace co-operation with KazakhstanStates will also sign a memorandum on the construction of a nuclear power plant in KazakhstanRead moreIran’s late Supreme Leader Khamenei laid to rest in MeshhedKhamenei was buried at the Imam Reza Holy Shrine, alongside his family members who were also killed as a result of US-Israeli bombingsRead moreNo direct condemnation from UN of Ukrainian terrorist attacks against Russia — diplomatAnna Yevstigneyeva recalled that the UN Secretary-General had issued two condemnations of Russian strikes allegedly targeting civilian infrastructure in Ukraine over the past weekRead moreUS to authorize German purchases of Tomahawk missiles, Typhon launchersThe number of missiles and launchers that Germany plans to buy remains a secretRead moreOil base reservoir in Tver Region catches fire after Ukraine’s drone attackThe fire has been localized, no casualties were reported, Vitaly Korolev saidRead moreRussia develops Skat amphibious drone for underwater logistics"The Skat platform is remotely controlled and designed for underwater, surface, and land use," Executive Director of the Spektr Design Bureau Andrey Bratenkov saidRead moreFrance wins quarter-final match against MoroccoThe team beat Morocco 2-0Read moreIN BRIEF: FSB foils major series of terrorist attacks targeting Russian service membersAs a result of operations conducted by law enforcement officers, a terrorist accomplice, a Russian female citizen, was detainedRead moreWest does not care how many people killed in Russia, Ukraine — Russian diplomatRussia's Acting Permanent Representative to the UN Anna Yevstigneyeva stated that "deaths of innocent civilians, killings of women, children and the elderly will not stop them"Read moreLondon, Stockholm courts issue unlawful rulings on Russian companies — PutinHead of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sergey Katyrin stressed that they were politically motivatedRead moreCoastal phase of Russian-Chinese Joint Sea 2026 exercise starts in QingdaoCultural and sporting events were also held, including several friendly basketball matches, the last of which featured Russian and Chinese sailors participating as part of combined international teamsRead moreEU may approve 21st sanctions package against Russia on July 13 — French Foreign MinisterThe 21st sanctions package will deal a blow to Russia's financial sector and further reduce energy revenues, Jean-Noel Barrot saidRead moreDigital economy and space industry are now inseparable — Space Energy CEOGeorgy Emelin noted that companies such as Yandex, VK, and telecom operators are the future consumers of space technologiesRead moreKiev doesn't consider consequences of continued attacks on nuke sites — Russian diplomatAnna Yevstigneyeva emphasized that there was no military logic in those attacksRead moreEurope openly prepares for war with Russia — representative to OSCEDmitry Polyansky said that only "shock therapy" could potentially shake the West out of its "militaristic psychosis"Read moreTajikistan's oil production rises 9.3% in H1 2026 — Energy MinistryThe country produced 10,013 metric tons of oil in the first six months of 2026Read moreCzech president says West has two-month 'window' to restart Russia talks — The TelegraphPetr Pavel also called for further militarizing EuropeRead morePatriot license transfer to Kiev aimed at securing US firms in Ukraine — expertAlexander Stepanov added that the technology transfer implies setting up costly production linesRead moreFACTBOX: What we know about terror attack on senior Russian general in MoscowA parked car exploded at 12, Yasenevaya Street at around 7:00 a.m. Moscow timeRead moreNew wave of US strikes, Iran's response: situation in Middle EastUS President Donald Trump called the new wave of strikes on Iran retaliation for alleged attacks on vesselsRead moreMali finds evidence of Ukraine-trained terrorists operating in countryVice President of the Defense Commission of the country's Transitional Council Fousseynou Ouattara emphasized that all the drones used by the terrorists are of Ukrainian originRead moreMozambique plans to cooperate with Russia on economic development — LavrovThe Russian foreign minister drew attention to the continued dependence of many African countries on their former colonial powers and other Western nationsRead moreRussian fuel market situation remains tense — NovakEarlier, the deputy prime minister said that Russia had accumulated sufficient fuel reserves to supply the domestic market, but panic buying had led to a 20-30% increase in demandRead moreChinese embassy to US expects Kiev to view Beijing’s role in Ukraine context objectivelySpokesperson Liu Chang says dialogue and negotiations are the only viable way out of the crisisRead moreBritish singer Bonnie Tyler dies at 75The singer passed away in a hospital in Portugal following an illness for which she was undergoing treatmentRead moreExperts see no quick rebound in global diamond pricesAnalyst Egor Vershinin noted that the market is characterized by oversupply and weak demand at presentRead moreIran was able to ‘smash’ US, Israel, despite NATO involvement in conflict — MPAlaeddin Boroujerdi highlighted that the Americans saw it as their goal to interfere in the affairs of every independent country and bring war to itRead moreForeigners helped Kiev make drone for attempt on life of senior Russian officer — FSBThis follows from an audio recording of a telephone conversation between a Russian detained in Krasnodar and his Ukrainian handlerRead moreRussian troops strike Ukrainian army’s logistics centers, energy sites in past dayThe Ukrainian army lost roughly 1,385 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hoursRead moreTrump’s proposals on Ukrainian airspace closure represent something new for MoscowDmitry Peskov stressed that the proposal voiced by the American president contradicted one of the set objectives of the Russian special military operationRead moreSingle Russian Lancet drone crew destroys 20 pieces of Ukrainian equipment in DPRThe targets hit included a Bogdana self-propelled gun, a T-62 tank, and armored combat vehicles transporting Ukrainian troops and ammunition to the front linesRead moreRussia as long-term threat and obligations to Ukraine: NATO summit declarationIn the final declaration, the NATO countries declared their commitment to Article 5 on collective defenseRead moreRussia aims to assist Mozambique in achieving economic self-reliance — LavrovAccording to the Russian top diplomat, the primary task is to secure additional economic projects that will foster Mozambique’s economic independence and uphold its right to choose its own partners on the international stageRead moreRussian tech firm Gagaring offers jobs to Volkswagen employees on chopping blockFor those who accept the offer, the laboratory guarantees permanent employment contracts, a competitive salary, and comprehensive relocation support for specialists and their familiesRead more