Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Japan on March 9 referred the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the Netherlands, a step that reflects Tokyo’s strong resolve against Moscow.

In explaining the background of its decision, the Japanese government said that “military actions by Russia in Ukraine this time are an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force and constitute an act that shakes the foundations of the international order. They are a clear violation of international law and unacceptable. Japan strongly condemns these actions.”

In the statement, Japan described the Russian actions as “war crimes,” saying that “considering the United Nations General Assembly Resolution of March 2, the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Statement of March 4 and the ever-growing concern over war crimes, Japan referred to the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court from the viewpoint of expressing clear support for the investigation of the International Criminal Court.”