TOKYO, Aug. 19, 2026: Japan has criticised the United States over its decision to impose sanctions on International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane, calling the measures “very unfortunate” and reaffirming its support for the court and the rule of law.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that it had taken note of the United States' additional designation of Akane for sanctions. In a statement issued by Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Toshihiro Kitamura, Japan said it had consistently supported the ICC in its efforts to prosecute and punish the most serious crimes of concern to the international community and to uphold the rule of law.
“From this standpoint, the announced measures are very unfortunate,” Kitamura said.
The Foreign Ministry said Japan would remain committed to strengthening the rule of law in the international community while maintaining communication with the countries concerned.
Press Secretary KITAMURA issued the following statement regarding the sanctions against International Criminal Court (ICC).https://t.co/AFZcUw5QWK pic.twitter.com/JlF2b8BiG7
— MOFA of Japan (@MofaJapan_en) August 19, 2026
The US action places the government of Japan in direct disagreement with Washington over measures against the head of an international judicial institution whose work Tokyo has consistently supported. Japan's Foreign Ministry described the ICC as a permanent international criminal court and linked its support for the institution directly to the principle of upholding the international rule of law.
The ICC has also rejected the new US sanctions. In a statement issued by the court, the ICC said it “strongly rejects” the new designations against Akane and another court official. The court said the measures were directed at judicial officials carrying out their judicial functions.
The ICC said the sanctions threatened the independence of its judicial work and described the action as an attack on the court's ability to carry out its mandate.
The #ICC strongly rejects new US sanctions designations ⤵️ https://t.co/mQuHZpLqdN
— Int'l Criminal Court (@IntlCrimCourt) August 19, 2026
Akane, a Japanese judge, has served as president of the ICC since 2024. Her designation therefore gives the dispute a direct Japanese dimension beyond Tokyo's broader support for the court.
Japan's response is notable because the United States and Japan remain close strategic allies, while Tokyo has separately maintained its support for international judicial institutions and the international rule of law. The Japanese Foreign Ministry, however, did not announce any retaliatory measure against Washington and said it would continue communicating with the countries concerned.
The dispute now places the United States and Japan on opposing sides of a question concerning the role and independence of the ICC, with Washington imposing sanctions on its Japanese president and Tokyo publicly describing those measures as “very unfortunate.”
