Japan will provide financial assistance to countries that did not support the condemnation of Russia

The Japanese Foreign Ministry has decided to allocate 12.8 billion yen ($91.1 million) in financial assistance to countries that opposed a UN resolution condemning Russia’s special operation in Ukraine, transmits NHK channel.

As part of the Government Development Assistance (ODA) program, it is proposed to allocate assistance, in particular, to Laos in the amount of 2.9 billion yen ($21 million), Vietnam – 1.7 billion yen ($12 million), Iran – 1.6 billion yen ($11 million).

Japan’s Ministry of Finance called on the Foreign Ministry to reconsider these spending, stating the need for “strategic use” of the ODA. The Foreign Ministry, in turn, called appropriate the entire amount of assistance allocated, noting that it would be provided through international organizations, and local non-governmental organizations would also become recipients.

Earlier in October Tokyo expanded sanctions against Russian individuals and companies, including relatives of the head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, head of the National Guard Viktor Zolotov, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, deputy chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev. Of the organizations under Japanese sanctions, Rostec, the Kalashnikov concern, the Ruselectronics holding, UEC-Klimov, and others fell.

In July, Japan banned the export of 65 Russian and 25 Belarusian companies, and imposed restrictions on another 57 individuals and six legal entities. The sanctions included Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko, cellist Sergei Roldugin, as well as his wife Elena Mirtova, head of the United Aircraft Building Company (UAC) Yuri Slyusar and others.

Prior to this, Tokyo also imposed a ban on the export to Russia of knives and blades for machines and instruments, locomotives for railways and cars for servicing railways, steam generators, gas pumps, etc. Japan froze the assets of the Moscow Credit Bank, the Russian Agricultural Bank and the Belarusian Belinvestbank. Also under sanctions were the Bank of Russia, Sberbank, Alfa Bankthe country’s leadership and various companies.

Earlier on November 14, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling Russia to be held accountable for “violating international law” in relation to Ukraine, including through the payment of reparations. Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya called the draft of this resolution “legally void”, and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN Dmitry Polyansky also said that Western countries should compensate developing countries for “colonial policy, slavery and robbery.”

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