Japan to Maintain Russia Sanctions

Japan will adopt a two-prong policy on Russia of maintaining sanctions in line with the Group of Seven’s protest against the seizure of Crimea, while also helping to boost the Russian economy, government sources said Sunday, Kyodo reported. Japan will explain to other G-7 countries the need for the policy both to settle bilateral issues and allay growing concerns that Tokyo could withdraw from the anti-Russia coalition over the Crimea annexation, the sources said. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government believes in improving ties with Russia but that this does not preclude staying tough on the Crimea issue, the sources said.