Japan Condemns Russian Extradition Request for ICC President

The Government of Japan condemned the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation after it requested that Dutch authorities extradite Tomoko Akane, president of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and eight other officials. Deputy Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki described the request as "unfair and unacceptable," pledging that Japan will take appropriate action and issue further protests.

The extradition request is part of a broader conflict between Moscow and the ICC. In 2023, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding alleged war crimes in Ukraine. In retaliation, a Moscow court tried Akane and other ICC members in absentia in 2025, sentencing them to prison terms.