Government considers countermeasures against Russia; strengthening sanctions and recalling ambassador are options―Northern Territories visit

The government has begun considering what countermeasures it can take in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to the Northern Territories. Options such as strengthening economic sanctions and the temporary recall of the ambassador to Russia have emerged. However, Japan relies on Russia for just under 10% of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, and the government plans to make a cautious decision.

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held intermittent discussions among senior officials on the 14th. One attendee explained to reporters that they are "at the stage of considering how to respond in the future."

On the 13th, Putin visited Iturup, the largest of the Northern Territories, for the first time. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi immediately condemned the visit, stating it is "absolutely unacceptable." Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi also summoned Russian Ambassador to Japan Nikolay Nozdrev to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to lodge a strong protest.

When then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited Kunashir Island in the Northern Territories in 2010, the Democratic Party of Japan administration temporarily recalled the ambassador to Russia. Based on this, voices from the opposition, such as Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People, are calling for the government to "at least recall the ambassador."

Furthermore, since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Japan has gradually strengthened sanctions, such as freezing the assets of individuals and organizations and banning the export of goods that could be diverted for military use. Regarding additional measures, a government official indicated the view that "there is room for them."

On the other hand, the deterioration of the situation in the Middle East due to the military conflict between the United States and Iran has once again highlighted the vulnerability of Japan's energy supply network. The Sakhalin-2 oil and natural gas development project in the Russian Far East is one of the important sources of LNG in which major Japanese trading companies hold interests. A government official remarked, "Energy is our weakness."

　自民党ベテランも「サハリン２を止められたら、日本側に害がある」と懸念。外務省幹部は「事態を深刻に受け止めている」としつつ、「今後については、情報分析などを通して見極めないといけない」と述べるにとどめた。