SIFMANet: Tokyo Report

The ongoing war in Ukraine has placed significant pressure on allied nations to enforce sanctions that limit Russia’s ability to fund and resource its military in the invasion. As a G7 member – and with an eye on the need for reciprocal allied unity in the face of any future potential ‘Taiwan crisis’ – Japan has implemented measures to align with allied sanctions regimes, including restrictions targeting critical sectors of the Russian economy. However, Japan’s unique position as a major importer of Russian energy, coupled with its geographic proximity to nations facilitating sanctions circumvention, presents distinct challenges. 

To further explore national efforts to implement and enforce sanctions against Russia, RUSI’s Centre for Finance and Security (CFS), in collaboration with the Japan Institute of International Affairs, convened a roundtable discussion with government officials, academics and representatives from the Japanese business community in Tokyo in November 2024. This event is part of the in-country engagements conducted by the CFS-led Sanctions and Illicit Finance Monitoring and Analysis Network (SIFMANet), supported by the National Endowment for Democracy. The event was supplemented by a series of one-on-one meetings in Tokyo during the visit.