UPDATE - Japan Sanctions Russian Officials Via Asset Freezes Over Accession Of New Regions

TOKYO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th October, 2022) Japan has included the families of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, the speaker of the upper chamber of the Russian parliament, Valentina Matvienko, Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and others onto the sanctions list, the Japanese Finance ministry said on Friday.

The new sanctions also target the head of Russia's Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, Sputnik and RT Editor-In-Chief Margarita Simonyan, and retired Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva.

Japan will freeze the assets of individuals from the eastern regions of Ukraine, as well as from Russia, who are directly related to the accession of the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics (DPR and LPR), Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions to Russia, which Tokyo deems as annexation, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told a press conference on Friday.

A ban on exports of 89 items and materials related to chemical weapons to Russia went into effect on Friday. To date, Japan imposed sanctions against 903 Russian individuals, 280 companies and 11 banks.

The restrictions also apply to exports of transport trucks, high-tech equipment, luxury items, alcohol drinks, cosmetics, and leather goods.

In addition, the new sanctions list includes nine Russian companies. This includes the center of military and sports training Rusichi, state-owned defense corporation Rostec, electronics vendor Ruselectronics, defense manufacturing concern Kalashnikov, gas turbine engines manufacturer Klimov, shipbuilding plant More in Crimea, electronic welfare manufacturer Sozvezdie, state-owned United Engine Corporation and shipbuilding company Yantar in Russia's Kaliningrad Region.

From September 23-27, the LPR and the DPR, as well as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, held referendums and voted for joining Russia. On September 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the heads of the four regions signed agreements on the accession of the territories to the country. Putin signed laws on formal accession of the regions to Russia on Wednesday.