Japan protests against Russia's entry ban on 13 mostly business leaders over sanctions

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's government said Wednesday it has protested against Russia's announcement that it is permanently banning 13 Japanese citizens, mostly business leaders of prominent companies including Toyota Motor Corp., in retaliation for Tokyo's sanctions over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said the ban “limits Japanese companies’ legitimate activities (in Russia), and is absolutely not acceptable.”

Hayashi said his government has lodged a protest against Russia over the entry ban.

Hayashi was commenting on an announcement by Russia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday that it was permanently banning 13 Japanese people, including Toyota Chair Akio Toyoda and Rakuten Group Inc. CEO Hiroshi Mikitani, as well as Japan International Cooperation Agency President Akihiko Tanaka, from entering Russia.

No reasons were given for the selection of the people subject to the entry ban.

Japan has been closely cooperating with the Group of Seven industrialized nations to impose sanctions on Russia over its war on Ukraine because of growing concern about the conflict’s impact in Asia, where China has been increasingly expanding its military presence and threatening to use force to exert its control over self-governed Taiwan.

Japan has already faced a series of reprisals from Russia, including the suspension of bilateral talks on a peace treaty with Tokyo that included negotiations over disputed islands. Moscow has also announced entry bans on hundreds of Japanese lawmakers including Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and some of his predecessors.