The United States has imposed sanctions on Judge Tomoko Akane, President of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Sanctioning an individual who is committed to upholding the rule of law is utterly unacceptable and cannot be justified. We strongly protest this action and call for the immediate withdrawal of the sanctions.
The Government of Japan should reaffirm its unwavering commitment to cooperation with the ICC and urge the United States Government to withdraw these unjustified sanctions. Our call to defend President Akane is not based on the fact that she is Japanese. Rather, what must be defended is the rule of law itself—the very principle that President Akane has dedicated herself to upholding, even at great personal risk.
There is little credibility in proclaiming opposition to unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force while at the same time disregarding the rule of law. Japan must remain steadfast in its respect for the rule of law as a fundamental and unwavering principle of its foreign policy.
Japan should also work closely with the Government of the Netherlands, which has expressed its opposition to these sanctions, and promptly engage in consultations to ensure President Akane’s personal safety and to safeguard the conditions necessary for her daily life.