September 16, 2026

A cross-party parliamentary league on September 15 demanded that the Japanese government urge the U.S. Trump administration to immediately withdraw its sanctions imposed on International Criminal Court (ICC) personnel, including ICC President Akane Tomoko.

The lawmakers’ group criticized Prime Minister Takaichi for calling the U.S. sanctions “very unfortunate,” stating that this was “merely her opinion and not official policy.” They argued that, as a nation committed to the rule of law, Japan should lodge a protest against the U.S. sanctions.

The Dietmembers also demanded that PM Takaichi clearly express Japan’s support for the ICC in her speech at the UN General Assembly this month, and that Japan pay its assessed contributions to the ICC ahead of schedule in order to support the ICC.

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira (Senate), a member of the parliamentary league, told Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru who responded to the group’s appeal, “If sanctions on an international law enforcement organization, the ICC, are allowed to go unchallenged, the world will become a lawless place.”

Koike reiterated that PM Takaichi should lodge a firm protest with the U.S. authorities and unambiguously declare Japan’s support for the ICC to the international community.

Past related articles:
> PM Takaichi should urge US gov’t to withdraw sanctions against ICC president [August 21, 2026]
> PM Takaichi makes no comment on whether she will call for withdrawal of US sanctions against ICC president [August 20, 2026]