Japan, Ireland pledge to punish Russia for Ukraine war

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Japan and Ireland on Wednesday vowed to punish Russia with “severe consequences” through economic sanctions for its war on Ukraine.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said his Irish counterpart Micheal Martin and he “remain appalled by and condemn the devastating attacks,” and urge Moscow to “withdraw its forces from the entire territory of Ukraine.”

Kishida and Martin were speaking to the press after a bilateral summit in Tokyo, Kyodo News reported.

According to UN figures, 5,110 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since the war began on Feb. 24, and over 15 million people have been forced from their homes, with over 8.4 million fleeing to other countries.

Japan and Ireland have joined their Western allies in imposing harsh sanctions on Moscow, including President Vladimir Putin.

Kishida said the two governments will “promote even closer cooperation” in dealing with the Ukraine war.

Referring to tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, the two leaders expressed “serious concern” about the situation in the East and South China seas.

In an apparent reference to the self-ruled island nation of Taiwan, the two leaders called for a “peaceful resolution” to tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

Japan and Ireland “shared the recognition that the security of the Indo-Pacific and Europe is indivisible and that changing the status quo unilaterally by force must not be condoned anywhere in the world,” Kishida said.

Martin also expressed condolences to Kishida over the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was fatally shot at an election campaign event this month in western Japan.

While Tokyo is considering holding a state funeral for Abe on Sept. 27, opposition parties have expressed concern that the gesture “could be used to cement the legacy of a divisive figure.”​​​​​​​