Trump administration's sanctions against ICC Director Akane, shocking and distressing to Japanese government

The Japanese government was shocked after the US Trump administration added International Criminal Court (ICC) Director Tomoko Akane to the list of sanctions. This is because they did not anticipate that the head of an international organization from their home country would be targeted by their only ally. The Japanese government is poised to continue supporting the ICC, but it is struggling to respond since direct criticism of the United States could harm the alliance.

On the 19th, the Japanese government released a statement by Foreign Press Secretary Toshihiro Kitamura, stating that ``this measure is extremely regrettable.'' "Japan has consistently supported the ICC. We will continue to work to strengthen the rule of law in the international community," he said.

The ICC is a permanent court that prosecutes and punishes individuals who commit war crimes and other crimes based on international law. The Trump administration objected to the investigation targeting U.S. soldiers and the issuance of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and announced in July that it would ``dismantle it by any means necessary.'' This time, the response will be taken one step further.

One senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was at a loss for words, saying he was "surprised." Another person expressed a sense of crisis, saying, ``The United States probably wants to weaken the ICC at all costs.The impact of sanctions on top officials will be significant.'' A government source said, ``Mr. Trump may be afraid of his own prosecution.''

Japan is the largest contributor to the ICC. Although some are hoping for a resolute response, a mid-ranking member of the Liberal Democratic Party says, ``The Japan-U.S. alliance cannot be called rock solid. It's not a good idea to get into trouble with the United States.'' A Foreign Ministry source said, ``It would be unrealistic to change the Trump administration's stance.We will only support Mr. Akane to the extent possible.''