Japan considers sanctions against Belarus for supporting Russian invasion of Ukraine

US has already imposed sanctions on 24 Belarusian individuals and entities

Japan is planning to roll out economic sanctions against Belarus for its alleged role in helping Russia invade Ukraine, officials said.

Russia launched an all-out invasion of its neighbour Ukraine by land, air and sea on Thursday, with troops and tanks crossing from several points, including Belarus’ southern border, according to video footage and Ukraine’s interior ministry.

Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has said that his troops could take part in Russia’s military operation against Ukraine if needed, and that he will discuss strengthening the country’s western flank with Vladimir Putin.

The Fumio Kishida-led administration in Japan has not announced which Belarusian individuals or entities will be targeted in the sanctions. However, Tokyo is expected to coordinate with other members of the G7 industrial powers over the matter, officials said.

The Kishida administration has not yet released a statement confirming the plan.

These developments come after the US treasury department on Thursday confirmed that it will be sanctioning at least two dozen Belarusian people and entities for their role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as part of severe backlash in the international community.

Japan has already rolled out sanctions against Russia for breaching Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity after Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the military offensive against the former Soviet territory following weeks of obfuscation over its plans of invasion.

Besides Japan, western countries such as the US, UK and the European Union have also announced sanctions against Russia.

On Saturday morning, a Japanese-firm owned cargo ship was hit by a missile fired off the coast of Ukraine in the Black Sea. Mr Kishida called Russia’s act of aggression an unacceptable violation of the country’s sovereignty and international law.

Russia has continued to wreak havoc in Ukraine for three days. Heavy street fighting against Russian troops is underway in Kyiv on Saturday as officials urged locals to take immediate shelter. Kyiv was struck by two missiles. As many as 198 Ukrainians, including three children, have been killed since the invasion began.

Russian soldiers have captured Ukraine’s southeastern city of Melitopol, according to the Interfax news agency.

But this claim was swiftly dismissed by UK’s armed forces minister James Heappey who said that the city of 150,000 was still in Ukraine’s grip.

“All of Russia’s day one objectives ... and even Melitopol, which the Russians are claiming to have taken but we can’t see anything to substantiate that, are all still in Ukrainian hands,” Mr Heappey told BBC Radio.