Sanctioning the International Criminal Court: The view from Tokyo
Japan is right to support the ICC and its Japanese president. But support should not mean treating the institution as immune from scrutiny.
In reaction to the Trump administration's August 18 announcement of sanctions against International Criminal Court (ICC) President Tomoko Akane and others, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed strong disapproval on August 25. Takaichi stated that the U.S. move was "not consistent with Japan's position" and that she found it "with great concern." Despite her government's response, critics argued that it was "weak-kneed."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the sanctions, labeling the ICC as "a corrupt and fatally politicized supranational court that has maliciously abused its authority and exceeded its mandate." In Japan's media landscape, the sanctions sparked widespread criticism. Editorial boards in major national newspapers largely opposed the U.S. action and urged Tokyo to adopt a firmer stance on the matter.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
